Congress has been passing duty suspension bills as part of MTBs for more than 30 years.

No longer running like a Japanese train schedule...

Experience tells us this MTB, like all others, will become law

Process will change

Negotiations started last year in Geneva due to US and Japanese government efforts

Approximately 74 countries signed onto the 1996 ITA (95% of IT and communications equipment trade. Of major economics, only Brazil and South Africa do not participate.)

26 WTO Members now participating in "Core Group" negotiations. 260 items on the "Approved List" . Knock-out ("Sensitivities") negotiations begin this week in Geneva.

Most items are in HS Chapters 84, 85 and 90 but not all.

PHIAMS MTB items were picked up in this list

Negotiations begin in July

How will different approaches to rules of origin be rationalized? Mexico has an FTA with both, and Canada soon will.

Reopen drawback in the NAFTA?

Testing and certification. Both sides say they want to eliminate 'dead weight losses', but is this possible?

EU Common Market unified EU standards, but differences in regulatory philosophies are great.

2012 Agreement to reduce tariffs to 5 % or lower for 54 environmental goods

Applies only to APEC members, but includes China, Indonesia, Vietnam

Gas turbines, water treatment and purification equipment, wind towers, PVC pipes included

2015 effective date

Restricted to items in Chapter 3204