Sam Hoenig.ppt

Executive Summary FAS- Strategic Goals Foreign Trade Agreement on Trade in Agricultural Products (ATAP) Barriers to Entry Opportunities Consumers Marketing Activities -FAS/Tel Aviv FAS Main Strategic Goals  To improve market access for American agricultural and food products by addressing Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) issues. Facilitating trade between US exporters and Israeli importers. Providing support for negotiations on the next extended Agreement on Trade in Agricultural Products (ATAP) that have started in 2008. Imports of Agricultural and Food Products From Whom Do We Import Agricultural Food Products? From Whom Do We Import and What Kind of Products? What Kind of Food Products Do We Import? Agreement on Trade in Agricultural Products In 1996 the U.S and Israel signed the first ATAP agreement, establishing a program of gradual and steady market access liberalization for food and agricultural products. The 2nd ATAP agreement was signed in 2004 and was effective through December 31, 2008, and grants improved access for select U.S. agricultural products. This agreement was extended through December 31, 2009. Negotiations on the new agreement started in 2008 and are about to be renewed. The agreement provides U.S. food and agricultural products access to the Israeli market under one of three different categories: 1) unlimited duty free access, 2) duty free tariff-rate quotas (TRQs), 3) or reduced tariffs, which are set at least 10% below Israels Most Favored Nation (MFN) rates. Which Products? Chapters 1 to 24 of Israeli customs tariff. Only products originating in the U.S., directly imported from the U.S. and accompanied by a certificate of origin, are eligible for customs discounts. Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor - Quota Utilization 1-6/09, U.S. Products Barriers to Entry Local and global Economic Slowdown is continuing. EU is Israels Leading Trade Partner. I