Breadcrumb

Every week, the USTR website will explore a new trade topic, with background information and current trade data. On July 21 and 22, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk will be in Singapore at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministerial meeting - so this week's trade topic is U.S. trade relations with APEC member economies.

Weekly Trade Focus: APEC

 

April 02, 2026

April 02, 2026

WASHINGTON – One year ago, President Trump used tariffs to protect American workers and bring the world to the negotiating table. The President’s trade program is addressing decades of non-reciprocal trade practices that have undermined America’s global competitiveness. Tariffs and trade deals are delivering tangible results for American workers and their families, decreasing our trade deficit, securing trade deals, reshoring production lines, and putting money back in American workers’ pockets.

March 31, 2026

WASHINGTON – Today, the Office of the United States Trade Representative submitted the 2026 National Trade Estimate (NTE) to President Trump and Congress. The 2026 NTE details significant foreign trade barriers facing U.S. exports and outlines how the Trump Administration is addressing these non-reciprocal practices to ensure a playing field for American workers.

March 30, 2026

WASHINGTON — The World Trade Organization’s (WTO) 14th Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé, Cameroon ended in impasse early this morning, after an agreement among 164 WTO Members to extend the Moratorium on Customs Duties on Electronic Transmissions to December 31, 2030 was blocked by Brazil and Turkey. The WTO’s failure also prevented moving forward with a U.S.-driven reform agenda that all Members endorsed.

March 26, 2026

March 26, 2026

YAOUNDÉ – This week, Ambassador Greer is participating in the World Trade Organization’s 14th Ministerial Meeting in Yaoundé, Cameroon. For the kick-off of the meeting, Ambassador Greer outlined how President Trump is restructuring the trading system based on the principles of reciprocity, fairness, and balanced trade to create a level playing field for American farmers, manufacturers, and producers as well as the WTO’s role in this new trade paradigm.

March 23, 2026

WASHINGTON – Today, on the eve of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Fourteenth Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé, Cameroon, the United States issued a report outlining its views on several key issues for WTO reform. This report builds on an initial paper issued by the United States in December and is intended to give impetus to reform discussions during and after MC14.

March 19, 2026