3: Research Program
Maintain a research program that provides the Legislative and Executive Branches, as well as the public, with timely research
products that are widely recognized for their contribution to sound and informed trade policy formulation.
Other Information:
Stable mission. The Commission contributes to the development of sound and informed U.S. international trade policy and to
the public debate on issues relating to U.S. international trade and competitiveness through an extensive research program.
The Commission’s long-range goals are to be a federal resource of industry, economic, and regional trade experts for the nation’s
policymakers and to enhance its position as a recognized leader in independent research and analysis through objective and
timely reports. The Commission’s research program consists of its probable economic effects investigations under Section 131
of the Trade Act of 1974 and Section 2104 of the Trade Act of 2002; analysis of trade and competitiveness issues under Section
332 of the Tariff Act of 1930; and independent assessments on a wide range of emerging trade issues. While changes in the
statutory regimes governing research program investigations have occurred in the past and can be expected to occur in the
future, the fundamental mission of the Commission in conducting such investigations is expected to continue. The commodity
and economic expertise developed and maintained as part of the Research Program contributes to the conduct of the Commission’s
import injury investigations under Operation 1, formal studies under Operation 3, legislative reports under Operation 4, and
the provision of rapid technical assistance to the Executive Branch and Congress under Operation 5. The expertise developed
in the Commission’s research program is also used in providing technical assistance on industry and trade conditions to the
general public and the business community. This assistance is provided both informally in immediate responses to telephone
inquiries and more formally through written correspondence and public addresses. Dynamic workload. The focus and nature of
Commission research shifts with changes in U.S. trade legislation and with new U.S. country and sectoral trade initiatives.
For example, recent legislative changes are bringing a significant increase in the number of probable effect analyses related
to free trade agreements (FTAs), various textiles preference programs, and agricultural trade. Likewise, in recent years service
industries have grown in importance in relation to the U.S. economy and U.S. trade positions, and the Commission’s research
efforts in the area have correspondingly expanded. Similarly, the agency continues to commit resources to explore issues of
increasing interest to policy makers such as the assessment of non-tariff barriers and the interaction of trade and environmental
policies. Resource Requirements Technical expertise. Operation No. 3 involves the efforts of Commissioners and their staffs,
industry analysts in the Commission’s Office of Industries who specialize in commodity areas such as agriculture and forest
products, textiles, and electronics, economists in the Office of Economics with regional or analytical specialties, nomenclature
analysts and attorneys in the Office of Tariff Affairs and TradeAgreements, statisticians in theOffice of Investigations,
staff in the Office of External Relations, attorneys from the Office of the General Counsel, and the Secretary and her staff.
The Office of Operations provides support for automated data and information systems, and the Office of Administration provides
administrative support. New tools. The Commission seeks to provide effective research tools to the Commission staff, including
appropriate hardware, software, telecommunications, U.S. and foreign databases, and library resources. The availability of
various information disseminationmethods allows the agency to make research available through wide public dissemination of
reports and databases by themost economic means available, including both electronic (e.g., Internet) and hard copy formats.
Enhanced skills. The Commission conducts regular assessments of research projects. The goals of these assessments are to improve
the Commission’s overall research contribution through exploration of new conceptual approaches; to streamline research procedures;
to optimize Commission review time; and to make other changes that enhance quality, efficiency, and effectiveness. Further,
the Commission seeks to improve communications with the Executive Branch and Congress to maximize the Commission’s contribution
to trade decisionmakers, particularly through regular contact with them by the Office of External Relations and pre- and post-investigation
meetings. The agency is committed to expanding the areas of resident industry, economic, and trade expertise and maintaining
currency of professional and analytical skills, such as acknowledged high quality modeling and economic expertise, by providing
appropriate training and maintaining an environment for innovative research. The Commission seeks the knowledge and expertise
of customers, other agencies, academia, and industry in the formulation of research plans and the conduct of research via
means such as participation in academic conferences, interagency fora, and Commission seminars.
Objective(s):
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