WASHINGTON — The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) today asked the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) to launch an investigation of the distributional effects of goods and services trade and trade policy on U.S. micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), with a focus on those owned or led by persons belonging to underserved and overburdened communities, including those based on race and ethnicity; gender; gender identity and orientation; age; skill, wage, and income; disability; rural location; or other factors. This new research and data analysis will enable USTR to better develop trade policy that contributes to promoting economic security, supporting decent work, and advancing the health and security of U.S. MSMEs.
USTR has requested the USITC to conduct surveys, research, and other outreach in order to prepare a public report that provides information on the distributional effects of trade and trade policy on MSMEs, with a focus on those owned or led by persons in underserved and overburdened communities and includes profiles of such MSMEs, highlighting how they have been affected by international trade.
The full text of the letter from Ambassador Tai to USITC Chair Amy Karpel can be found here.
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