AEO and C-TPAT Mutual Recognition Expected in 2011, US and EU Progress on IPR and Chemicals

The following are highlights of the agreements and announcements:

Aiming to Complete AEO-C-TPAT Mutual Recognition by Oct 2011

EU Trade Commissioner Semeta and U.S. Commissioner for Customs Border Protection Bersin announced an understanding on final steps towards mutual recognition of each others’ “trusted trader” programs, the EU’s authorized economic operator (AEO) program and the U.S.’ Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program. They called for mutual recognition to be fully in place by October 31, 2011.

They also agreed to deepen transatlantic cooperation in supply chain security policies.

EPA, ECHA to Collaborate on Risk Assessment, Toxicity Testing, Data Exchange

During the meeting, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) signed a statement of intent to promote enhanced technical cooperation on chemical management activities.

The statement puts in place a process for working together on a range of issues of mutual interest including toxicity testing, the hazard and risk assessment of chemicals, risk management tools, scientific collaboration, and information exchange. It also enables the agencies to share information on approaches to more efficiently address chemicals of concern that are prioritized for regulatory action.

To Share Info Earlier on Related Regulatory Activities, Establish Best Practices

The U.S. and EU focused on ways to ensure earlier coordination on related regulatory activities to avoid unintended barriers to trade. Each side also agreed to shared regulatory principles, including transparency, public participation, consideration of costs and benefits, cost- effectiveness, burden minimization, and use of flexible regulatory tools. They tasked the High Level Regulatory Cooperation Forum to continue working on joint principles and best practices for the development of regulations for agreement by the end of February 2011.

Areas for Possible Early Coordination Include Energy Efficiency, Toy Safety, Etc

The two sides state that this process of advanced notice will allow experts to identify specific topics for possible collaboration on the development of compatible regulations, standards, and conformity test procedures. Potential areas of early focus include energy efficiency, e-health, nutritional labeling, electric drive vehicles and related infrastructure, and product safety, such as toys.

Launched Anti-Counterfeiting Website to Help SMEs Protect IPR Abroad

The two sides also launched a joint website against counterfeiting, which aims to help EU and U.S. companies to fully utilize the intellectual property rights related resources and tools developed on both sides of the Atlantic. It will enable small and medium enterprises to protect their brands, trademarks and patents before entering foreign markets and to take preventive action. It will also offer advice, “country toolkits” on IPR protection in more than 20 markets around the world and tailor-made guides for various sectors including textiles, leather, footwear, and furniture. (See future issue of ITT for further details of this new website.)

¹The TEC was set up in 2007 to guide and stimulate transatlantic economic convergence. It is currently co-chaired by Commissioner De Gucht and U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser for international economic affairs, Michael Froman. The regulatory work of the TEC focuses on economically relevant issues of mutual interest, in order to identify issues where EU-U.S. cooperation could produce results in a reasonable time horizon, etc.

EPA press release, dated 12/17/10, available here.

White House press release, dated 12/17/10, available here.

EU press release, dated 12/18/10, available here.