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Listed below are examples of work IBC does for our clients:
ADVOCACY AND STRATEGIC ADVISING ON U.S. AND FOREIGN TRADE AND TARIFF INITIATIVES
- Represent clients' interests in U.S. and foreign free trade agreement negotiations on a multilateral (e.g., WTO Accessions), regional (e.g., Trans Pacific Partnership – TPP) and bilateral (e.g., Korea and Colombia FTAs) basis, and engage with government negotiators on business priorities.
- Provide advice, research and analysis on the GATT, WTO and FTA trade implications of foreign government measures that impose labeling, distribution and advertising restrictions on certain foods and beverages.
- Assess outlook and client interests in a Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) and U.S.-EU trade agreement.
- Provide advice on whether Russia's WTO Tariff Schedule commitments can be modified.
- Assist clients in the addition or removal of products from proposed retaliation lists.
- Provide information and analysis on trade remedies such as antidumping, countervailing duty and safeguard actions.
- Organize and manage “user coalitions” to oppose import duties on raw materials.
- Advise clients on the impact of regional trade agreements on their sourcing decisions.
- Prepare petitions and testimony to add, remove or maintain products on the list of items receiving duty-free treatment under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).
ASSISTANCE ON VISAS
- Provide assistance with acquisition of U.S. business visas for client employees and customers.
- Advise clients on foreign visa requirements and procedures.
BENCHMARKING FOR INTERNATIONAL GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
- Analyze international corporate government affairs functions and their effectiveness in dealing with national governments and international organizations.
- Provide tailored benchmarking reports on how companies organize and manage their government relations priorities in Washington, Canada, the EU (Brussels), China, India, Russia and elsewhere.
CONSULTING ON ACCESS TO GLOBAL MARKETS
- Advise clients on ways to lower tariffs or eliminate nontariff barriers in foreign markets.
- Provide assessments on trade agreement violations and assistance in preparing FTA and WTO dispute settlement challenge requests.
- Prepare submissions for the National Trade Estimates Report on Foreign Trade Barriers.
- Assess government-to-government summits (e.g., U.S.-China Strategic & Economic Dialogue, Transatlantic Economic Council) and how they might affect competitiveness concerns.
ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
- Assess implications of U.S. energy legislation on trade agreements.
- Monitor climate change debate and assess the impact of proposals for border measures.
- Monitor opportunities for government-funded (e.g., USAID) projects in designated sectors such as energy and infrastructure development.
EXPORT CONTROLS AND COMPLIANCE/ECONOMIC SANCTIONS POLICY
- Assist in compliance with export control laws and regulations through counseling, training of personnel, and development of internal control programs and policies.
- Provide guidance on obtaining export licenses and authorizations.
- Monitor and report on policy and regulatory changes.
- Monitor U.S. foreign policies toward selected countries and how these may result in sanctions and export restrictions.
- Publish “Export Restrictions for Selected Countries”©, a regularly-updated resource on Commerce, Treasury and State Department regulations on U.S. exports and reexports to foreign countries.
- Track and report on status of the Administration’s Export Control Reform Initiative.
FINANCE AND TAX
- Advise and assist on specific U.S. government and multilateral institution financing programs, such as the U.S. Export-Import Bank, Trade and Development Agency, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and The World Bank.
- Analyze impact of U.S. government sanctions on U.S./multilateral financing agencies.
- Provide analysis of U.S. tax policies and proposals on international business.
- Review trade-related implications of foreign tax policies, such as value-added tax (VAT) rebates.
FOREIGN INVESTMENT
- Assess environment for investment in specific countries.
- Assist clients in challenging discriminatory taxes and other policies harming foreign investments.
- Summarize and analyze U.S. government laws, regulations and practices affecting “foreign” companies.
FOREIGN PROCUREMENT ADVOCACY
- Advise clients on how, when and where to request Department of Commerce advocacy on major international projects and sales.
- Devise and implement strategies in support of clients’ efforts to win overseas procurements.
FOREIGN REGULATORY DEVELOPMENTS
- Assist clients in responding to proposed foreign government regulations, standards, or labeling requirements.
- Provide support in making policy recommendations for regulatory reform in Europe, Japan, Australia, Mexico and elsewhere.
- Track and respond to WTO Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) notifications.
- Assess developments under U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC).
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
- Provide analysis of developments at the World Bank and IMF, as well as New York- and Geneva-based international institutions.
- Conduct assessments on sector-specific topics being addressed at the World Health Organization (WHO) and World Trade Organization (WTO).
LEGISLATIVE ISSUES SUPPORT
- Organize and manage a coalition of businesses to enact a duty suspension bill.
- Prepare briefing materials for client meetings with members of Congress and testimony for appearances before congressional committees.
- Respond to inquiries about the content, status or prospects for specific international and trade-related bills in the U.S. Congress.
RISK ASSESSMENT
- Assess political and economic risk factors affecting a company’s trade, investment, and procurement of energy supplies from specific countries, including Brazil, China, Indonesia, Russia, Vietnam, Venezuela, Tanzania, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
- Prepare assessments on the state of the world economy, U.S. trade policy priorities, and developments in Europe, Asia and Latin America.
SUPPORT FOR SENIOR MANAGEMENT
- Provide staff support for corporate CEOs and other corporate executives leading or participating in government trade policy advisory committees (e.g., President’s Export Council).
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