4: Trade and Tariff Information Services

Provide effective technical expertise and advice on the implementation of trade policy and related administrative decisions; enhance the availability of high-quality tariff and international trade information to the Executive and Legislative Branches, as well as the broader trade community and the public; and increase the ability of customers to use such information.

Other Information:

Stable mission. The Commission maintains an extensive repository of trade data and trade-related expertise and provides information services relating to U.S. international trade and competitiveness. The Commission thereby provides various resources to the trade policy community. The trade and tariff information services program prepares technical reports and analyses in response to special requests, maintains tariff and trade databases, and provides information gathering, processing, dissemination, and support for all Commission programs. Trade and tariff information services include such activities as trade remedy assistance; library services; legislative reports; maintenance of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS); the preparation of draft Presidential Proclamations; Schedule XX (schedule of U.S. goods liberalization commitments) and the U.S. Schedule of Services Commitments under the World Trade Organization; preparation of U.S. submissions to the Integrated Database of the World Trade Organization; periodic and specifically requested reports on U.S. bilateral, regional, and multilateral trade relations; the online Tariff and Trade Database (DataWeb); and certain other information gathering, processing, and dissemination activities. Commission staff serve on U.S. delegations to the Harmonized System (HS) Committee. A Commission representative chairs the U.S. delegation to the Review Sub-Committee of the HS Committee. Currently a Commission representative also serves as Chairman of the Sub-Committee. The Commission also is a board member of and chairs an interagency effort to streamline the collection and dissemination of U.S. trade data (the International Trade Data System) and is active in interagency efforts to streamline the preparation of data for international fora. The Commission also serves as a member and chair of an interagency committee responsible for developing statistical product categories for imports and exports. In addition, the Commission makes recommendations to the President to modify the HTS. Dynamic workload. The Commission’s workload fluctuates significantly based on legislative and executive branch activity, as well as on the number of new trade agreements and other trade policy changes. Resource Requirements: Technical Expertise. Operation No. 4 involves the efforts of Commissioners and their staffs, nomenclature analysts and attorneys in the Commission’s Office of Tariff Affairs and Trade Agreements, staff in the Office of Operations, the Trade Remedy Assistance Office, industry analysts in the Commission’s Office of Industries, attorneys from the Office of the General Counsel, and the Secretary and her staff. The Office of the Chief Information Officer provides support for automated data and information systems, the Office of External Relations provides media relations and other support, 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, and library resources. Commission staff are continuing to develop and maintain resources such as the Dataweb, and to work with other agencies on initiatives such as the International Trade Data System.

Objective(s):

4.1: Information Dissemination

4.2: Nomenclature and Technical Services

Content