82 FR 20819 - Addressing Trade Agreement Violations and Abuses

Executive Office of the President

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 85 (May 4, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 85 (Thursday, May 4, 2017)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 20819-20820]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-09156]




                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 82 , No. 85 / Thursday, May 4, 2017 / 
Presidential Documents

___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--
The President

[[Page 20819]]

                Executive Order 13796 of April 29, 2017

                
Addressing Trade Agreement Violations and Abuses

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

                Section 1. Policy. Every trade agreement and investment 
                agreement entered into by the United States, and all 
                trade relations and trade preference programs of the 
                United States, should enhance our economic growth, 
                contribute favorably to our balance of trade, and 
                strengthen the American manufacturing base. Many United 
                States free trade agreements, investment agreements, 
                and trade relations have failed, in whole or in part, 
                to meet these criteria. The result has been large and 
                persistent trade deficits, a lack of reciprocal 
                treatment of American goods and investment, the 
                offshoring of factories and jobs, the loss of American 
                intellectual property and reduced technological 
                innovation, downward pressure on wage and income 
                growth, and an impaired tax base. It is the policy of 
                the United States to negotiate new trade agreements, 
                investment agreements, and trade relations that benefit 
                American workers and domestic manufacturers, farmers, 
                and ranchers; protect our intellectual property; and 
                encourage domestic research and development. It is also 
                the policy of the United States to renegotiate or 
                terminate any existing trade agreement, investment 
                agreement, or trade relation that, on net, harms the 
                United States economy, United States businesses, United 
                States intellectual property rights and innovation 
                rate, or the American people.

                Sec. 2. Conduct Performance Reviews. The Secretary of 
                Commerce and the United States Trade Representative 
                (USTR), in consultation with the Secretary of State, 
                the Secretary of the Treasury, the Attorney General, 
                and the Director of the Office of Trade and 
                Manufacturing Policy, shall conduct comprehensive 
                performance reviews of:

                    (a) all bilateral, plurilateral, and multilateral 
                trade agreements and investment agreements to which the 
                United States is a party; and
                    (b) all trade relations with countries governed by 
                the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) with 
                which the United States does not have free trade 
                agreements but with which the United States runs 
                significant trade deficits in goods.

                Sec. 3. Report of Violations and Abuses. (a) Each 
                performance review shall be submitted to the President 
                by the Secretary of Commerce and the USTR within 180 
                days of the date of this order and shall identify:

(i) those violations or abuses of any United States trade agreement, 
investment agreement, WTO rule governing any trade relation under the WTO, 
or trade preference program that are harming American workers or domestic 
manufacturers, farmers, or ranchers; harming our intellectual property 
rights; reducing our rate of innovation; or impairing domestic research and 
development;

(ii) unfair treatment by trade and investment partners that is harming 
American workers or domestic manufacturers, farmers, or ranchers; harming 
our intellectual property rights; reducing our rate of innovation; or 
impairing domestic research and development;

(iii) instances where a trade agreement, investment agreement, trade 
relation, or trade preference program has failed with regard to such 
factors as predicted new jobs created, favorable effects on the trade 
balance,

[[Page 20820]]

expanded market access, lowered trade barriers, or increased United States 
exports; and

(iv) lawful and appropriate actions to remedy or correct deficiencies 
identified pursuant to subsections (a)(i) through (a)(iii) of this section.

                    (b) The findings of the performance reviews 
                required by this order shall help guide United States 
                trade policy and trade negotiations.

                Sec. 4. Remedy of Trade Violations and Abuses. The 
                Secretary of Commerce, the USTR, and other heads of 
                executive departments and agencies, as appropriate, 
                shall take every appropriate and lawful action to 
                address violations of trade law, abuses of trade law, 
                or instances of unfair treatment.

                Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order 
                shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or 
the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

                    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with 
                applicable law and subject to the availability of 
                appropriations.
                    (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, 
                create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, 
                enforceable at law or in equity by any party against 
                the United States, its departments, agencies, or 
                entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any 
                other person.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    April 29, 2017.

[FR Doc. 2017-09156
Filed 5-3-17; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F7-P