Event Summary
The Peterson Institute held the Eighth Annual Former USTR Seminar February 13, 2008. Current USTR Ambassador Susan Schwab delivered the luncheon address, following presentations by six former USTRs: Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky, Senator William Brock III, Ambassador Carla Hills, Ambassador Mickey Kantor, Ambassador Robert Portman, and Ambassador Clayton Yeutter.
US trade policy is particularly controversial now in the context of divided government, an election year, globalization pressures and related domestic political concerns, stagnant WTO negotiations, continued momentum for regional and bilateral agreements, pending renewal of trade adjustment assistance and high profile safety issues.
The Institute will publish the proceedings of the seminar in a volume later this year.
Event Materials
Seminar Speakers and Topics
| Carla Hills | The State of Play in Doha and the Future of Multilateral Trade Negotiating Rounds and of the World Trade Organization |
| Clayton Yeutter | Consumer Protection and International Regulatory Cooperation |
| Charlene Barshefsky | Trade, National Security, and Bilateral/Regional Free Trade Agreements in Asia |
| Mickey Kantor | Evaluation of the May 10 Agreement from Experience of the Peru, Panama, Colombia and Korea Free Trade Agreements |
| Robert Portman | A New Perspective on White House Congressional Relations on Trade Policy |
| William Brock III | Trade Adjustment Assistance—A Misnomer; and Comment on Pending Trade Adjustment Assistance Proposals |