Evelyn Suarez was heavily quoted in a recent article posted on the International Bar Association website entitled “US-Africa trade: time for a rethink.” Excerpts from the article appear below, for the full text please visit the IBA website.
Evelyn Suarez addressed a group of maritime lawyers at the AAPA Port Administration and Legal Issues Seminar in New Orleans, Louisiana on April 9, 2015. The presentation, which she delivered with Jim Barratt of Forensic Risk Alliance, was on “What Maritime Lawyers Need To Know About FCPA and Other Anti-Corruption Laws?”
U.S.-flag vessel owners and operators are subject to a 50% ad valorem duty for vessel repairs made in foreign shipyards. Claims for relief that are not adequately presented or documented will be denied relief and assessed the onerous duties. It is therefore important to adopt processes for the collection of critical documentation in support of claims for relief. This presentation provides insight from years of experience with administrative applications for relief, protests and litigation as to best practices in the collection of the documentation and presentation of claims.
This appeared on AmericanLegislator.org on February 3, 2015.
It is so widely accepted that citizens of countries embracing international trade fare better economically than citizens of countries that do not, it’s considered established fact. Open economies grow faster than closed economies. The World Bank has reported that per capita real income grew more than three times faster for developing countries that lowered trade barriers (5.0% per year) than other developing countries (1.4% per year) in the 1990s. [1] Think tanks from the Heritage Foundation to the Brookings Institution agree that freedom of international commerce in trade and services promotes economic development.
By reducing poverty, international trade also addresses some national security concerns. According the OECD, trade openness can be tangibly measured in terms of economic growth, productivity, a higher standard of living, further innovation, stronger institutions and infrastructure, and even the promotion of peace.
On November 27, 2014, the World Trade Organization (WTO) was finally able to overcome an impasse created by India in July which prevented implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement reached in Bali in December 7, 2013. As described by WTO Director General (DG) Azevedo, “the impasse related to the political link between two of the Bali decisions – the decision on Public Stockholding for Food Security Purposes, and the Trade Facilitation Agreement.” The WTO General Council was able to address India’s objections after a breakthrough made by the U.S. and India on November 13, 2014 to simultaneously adopt the protocol necessary to implement the TFA and a decision clarifying the terms of an existing food security “peace clause.”