Highlights of the Commerce Department Standards Attaché Program

by Heidi Hijikata, Jesus Gonzalez, Louis Santamaria, Mark Lewis, Miguel Hernandez, Sylvia Mohr September 24, 2010

The International Trade Administration (ITA) is an agency of the US Department of Commerce (DOC) that works to strengthen the competitiveness of US industry, promote trade and investment, and ensure fair trade through the rigorous enforcement of our trade laws and agreements.  In March 2003, former Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans launched the Standards Initiative, which created the ITA Office of the Standards Liaison and further strengthened the role for US Standards Attachés already working in the field.

Today, ITA employs four Standards Attachés around the world who monitor emerging standards issues that have potential trade implications for US industry and businesses and who serve as important resources and points of contact for US stakeholders.  Standards Attachés are located in the key markets of China, Europe, North/Central America, and South America and are filled by career Foreign Commercial Service officers who focus on standards and related issues for these tours.  Other Commercial officers and Foreign Service National employees also take active roles in establishing ongoing dialogue with local standards developers and government officials. 

This cadre of standards specialists gives the US Commerce Standards Program the overseas reach and expertise required to effectively implement the standards-related elements of the National Export Initiative, and have proven to be an important resource and point of contact for US stakeholders.  Following are brief updates on interests and activities of the team of US Standards Attachés.

China

Standards have become an integral part of China’s industrial policy.  The commercial and trade relations between our two countries must therefore focus to a significant degree on non-tariff barriers such as standards and certification.  The US Department of Commerce first appointed a Standards Attaché to the US Embassy in Beijing in 2005 as China’s State Council was drafting its Eleventh Five-Year Plan (2006-10), which would coincidentally include quantifiable goals to modernize its standardization regime and enhance the country’s industrial competitiveness moving forward.

The Standards Attaché in China works with the leading US private sector standards organizations and US companies to ensure a transparent, open, fair and relevant standards environment in China for US industry. By leveraging the resources of various offices within Commerce and throughout other federal government agencies represented at the embassy, the Standards Attaché provides early warning, and facilitates support and advocacy for US businesses and standards organizations.  On a regular basis, the China Standards Attaché publishes weekly Standards Notes and timely Standards Fact Sheets (published on the ITA Standards web page), helps to plan and organize focused seminars supported by matching grant programs under Commerce, and guides advocacy efforts through bilateral negotiations.  The Standards Attaché is prepared to assist any US business encountering standards-related trade barriers in China.

European Union

The European Union’s (EU) efforts to remove internal barriers to trade among its member states has created a European Single Market, based on a top-down approach to standardization and legislation.  While this harmonization of EU standards and legislation facilitated access to the EU market, US entry to this market can be slowed or obstructed if even a single set of regulations and technical standards act as a barrier to trade when standards used in the United States are different from those of the European Union. 

Through monitoring and early alert reporting, the Standards team in Brussels keeps US industry and government informed of EU deliberations and actions impacting standards and trade..    Assisted by the ESRP, a robust network of local Commercial Service (CS) standards contacts throughout Europe, the Attaché monitors standards, conformity assessment and product certification in the EU region encompassing 38 countries (EU 27 + 11 others in the European Region). The EU Standards Team coordinates this program, designed to help increase awareness of standards- and market access- related aspects at all participating Commercial Service European posts. The objective is to help the US Commercial Service better serve our US businesses and thereby expand opportunities for US exports.

Canada, Caribbean, Central America and Mexico

The Standards Attaché and Specialist based in Mexico City have regional responsibility for Canada, the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico and produce the “Mexico Standards report” and the “Standards View Newsletter” with useful information about standards in the region.  An excellent example of the scope of their work involves advocacy in Mexico.  The Standards Attaché works closely with the government of Mexico to advocate for US interests when standards and conformity assessment issues arise.  Under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Mexico must recognize and accredit conformity assessment bodies in the United States on terms no less favorable than those accorded to Mexican organizations.  In practice, however, this was not the case.  In 2003, the Commerce Department began an advocacy campaign with Mexican agencies to officially open participation by US companies to the conformity assessment system.

After many years of continued advocacy efforts, the Mexican government established a "trust fund” into which accredited entities could contribute funds.  In January 2008, this allowed two US certification bodies to become accredited to test products for the electric sector in Mexico as had been envisioned and agreed to under NAFTA.  In August 2010, the Government of Mexico went a step further and published four Acuerdos allowing Mexico to accept certain standards and conformity assessment procedures used in the United States and Canada as equivalent to its own standards.

South America

The South America regional Standards Attaché, posted to the US Consulate in São Paulo, manages an active standards portfolio for the region.  The Attaché proactively engages the Brazilian government in standards issues for priority industry sectors (green technology, smart grid, intelligent transportation systems, and energy-efficient building codes) to ensure that the standards development for these products will continue to allow market access opportunities for US exports.  During a recent trade mission to Brazil this year for 100 companies, the Standards Attaché developed an innovative standards panel and individually counseled over 40 companies about avoiding regulatory pitfalls that could potentially keep their products out of the market.  The program included a session to discuss the importance of having a standards strategy for entering the market in Brazil and the region. 

As is mentioned in several other regions in this article, the South America regional Standards Attaché also engages in advocacy efforts on behalf of US industry.  In 2009, US industry reported that toy exports to Brazil were being disrupted by a new Brazilian measure requiring duplicative certification and testing of toys.  The Commercial Service along with its interagency colleagues raised this issue numerous times with the Brazilian government.   After addressing Brazil's legitimate safety concerns, a resolution was reached that ensured the continued flow of US$50 million worth of yearly US exports to Brazil.

For further information on any of the Standards Attaché programs listed in this article, please find the following information links and email addresses for current Standards Attachés and ITA Office of the Standards Liaison teams:

China : Dale Wright; Shi Huiling

European Union : Louis Santamaria (until 10/01/10); William Thorn (from 01/03/11); Sylvia Mohr

Mexico : Everett Wakai; Jesus Gonzalez

South America : Miguel Hernandez

ITA/Office of Standards Liaison : Heidi Hijikata; Jennifer Stradtman; Rachel Duran