USTR Greer to host G20 trade ministerial in Milwaukee from Sep 29-Oct 1

Washington, Sep 27 (PTI) The trade and commerce ministers of G20 countries are meeting in Milwaukee, about 1200 kms from here, amid constant changes in US tariff policies and the challenges posed by the extended Iran war and the pressure on supply chains.

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is scheduled to participate in the G20 trade ministerial hosted by US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer from September 29 to October 1.

The G20 ministerial will feature discussions on a wide range of issues, from trade eliminating forced labour in global supply chains to addressing structural capacity and excess production – the two tariff tools used by the US after the Supreme Court struck down the levies imposed under the International Emergency Economic

Powers Act (IEEPA).

A USTR statement said Greer will lead the G20 discussions on a wide range of issues, including eliminating forced labour in global supply chains, updating the Most-Favoured Nation (MFN) principle, denouncing the weaponisation of trade in food, and addressing structural excess capacity and production.

Milwaukee is a major industrial and manufacturing hub in the US and home to several Fortune 500 companies in sectors such as food and beverage, mechanical manufacturing, energy, and water technology.

The city, located on the banks of Lake Michigan, is also home to the iconic Harley -Davidson, the renowned motorcycle maker, as well as Briggs & Stratton, the world’s largest producer of small gasoline engines for outdoor power equipment, and Rockwell Automation, an American provider of industrial automation and digital transformation technologies.

The gathering will begin on Tuesday evening with a welcome reception hosted by the Business Roundtable and the National Association of Manufacturers.

The formal programme will open on Wednesday morning with a ministerial meeting of the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity.

Steel production and industrial overcapacity have become major points of dispute in international trade. The United States has repeatedly linked excess production to pressure on domestic manufacturers and workers.

Following the steel meeting, Greer and the visiting ministers will tour a Rockwell Automation facility in Milwaukee.

“While walking the factory floor, Ambassador Greer and the G20 Ministers will meet with blue-collar workers and industry leaders to discuss how President Trump’s trade program is accelerating America’s reindustrialisation and reinforcing our supply chains,” the USTR statement said.

Goyal is also scheduled to have bilateral talks with Greer, which is expected to be centred around the India-US trade deal that has been under discussion for some time.

In February, India and the US announced finalisation of the framework for the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement (BTA). 

However, changes in the tariff landscape in the US have led to further negotiations on the pact.

The US decision to impose 10 per cent forced labour tariffs on India, the looming threat of a Section 301 investigation into structural “excess industrial capacity” and subsidies and the recent passage of the Russia sanctions Act by the US Congress have put a question mark on early conclusion of the deal.

Goyal is also expected to interact with US industry leaders. PTI SKU RD

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