DOC - 341 - Industry Sector Advisory Committee on Energy for Trade Policy Matters (ISAC 6) - Statutory (Congress Created)
Industry Sector Advisory Committee on Energy for Trade Policy Matters (ISAC 6)
http://www.ita.doc.gov/icp
samuel_beatty@ita.doc.gov
The Committee meets approximately six times a year to discuss trade policy and advise the government on industry positions related to commercial matters. The Committee met five times during FY 2004: on 10/21/03, 03/04/04, 03/30/04, 04/07/04, and 04/15/04. The Committee focused on several multilateral and bilateral trade negotiations. ISAC 6 members provided valuable insight, recommendations, and guidance on the WTO Energy Services negotiations; the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA)negotiations; the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA)negotiations; the U.S.-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA)negotiations; the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations; the U.S-Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU) Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations; the U.S-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement negotiations; and investor-state dispute settlement and international arbitration provisions for future trade agreements and investment treaties.
The Committee consists of members from the private sector and trade associations which represent a wide spectrum of energy interests, including oil, natural gas, and coal producers; petroleum refiners; electric utilities; renewable energy producers; gas distribution companies; power sector equipment and services suppliers. While all members are experts in their fields, close attention is given - during the selection process - to the representation of candidates/enterprises with a large geographical, gender and size diversification.
The Committee meets approximately six times a year. However, the actual number of meetings is dictated by Government need for private sector advice. The U.S. Government will be involved in multilateral and bilateral trade policy negotiations with respect to any new WTO round; APEC; OECD; WTO accessions; FTAA negotiations; U.S.-Morocco FTA negotiations; U.S.-Australia FTA negotiations; U.S.-CAFTA negotiations; U.S.-Dominican Republic FTA negotiations; U.S.-SACU FTA negotiations; and enforcement of trade agreements. The advice the Government receives from the private sector through the advisory committee will be an on-going process and will be an intrinsic part of developing U.S. positions for all policy negotiations.
The Committee structure ensures a unique source of information to the Government. All members have security clearances and through a continuing dialogue with government officials are made aware of Government trade policy at a level not otherwise available to the private sector. Because this Committee remains current in the broad spectrum of trade policy rather than a single facet -- as would be the case in the absence of a committee structure -- the private sector input from the committee is more pertinent. The advisory committee program, legislatively mandated, is the single formal comprehensive consultative link between the U.S. Government and U.S. industry, and has the responsibility to address all issues concerning trade policy.
The Industry Consultations Program was established by the Trade Act of 1974 and in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), Subsection 135 (f) of the Trade Act provides that the ISAC's shall be exempt from the provisions of the FACA relating to open meetings, public notice, public participation, and public availability of documents when it is determined that the proceedings would, if disclosed, seriously compromise the Government's negotiating objectives or bargaining position regarding trade policy matters. ISAC meetings routinely involve these kinds of discussions. The United States Trade Representative (USTR) evaluates each meeting agenda and issues a Notice of Determination when it is necessary to close meetings.
None to note.
The committee's recommendations for investor-state dispute settlement in the U.S.-Australia FTA were not implemented. It is impossible to determine or surmise if these and/or similar recommendations will be implemented in future trade agreements.
It is impossible to surmise whether the above mentioned recommendations will be implemented in future trade agreements.
USTR has recently begun (April 2004) to brief the committee on the unique circumstances of the investment negotiations of each trade agreement. Prior to this, the commmittee had submitted a recommendation letter providing its opinion on investor-state dispute settlement and international arbitration provisions as per ongoing and future trade and investment treaty negotiations to the USTR and the Secretary of Commerce on December 23, 2003. USTR replied to this recommendation letter with a written response dated April 21, 2004. The Department of Commerce responded to the recommendation letter with a written response on January 28, 2004.
The committee provides private sector advice to the USTR and the Secretary of Commerce on international energy trade policy issues.
Industry Sector Advisory Committee on Energy for Trade Policy Matters (ISAC 6) 2003