Topic Category: Trade & Finance

On February 13, 2013, the White House announced that the United States and the European Union would begin negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA) with the hope of reaching a deal by late 2014. The declared goal is to achieve duty-free trade on industrial and agricultural products, with certain exceptions.

As an exporter, I half-heartedly believed in President Obama's proposal to double U.S. exports in five years. That pledge was made in his State of the Union address in 2010, which means the clock is ticking on his plan to double American exports from $1 trillion to $2 trillion by 2015. His National Export Initiative (NEI) was supposed to "help farmers and small businesses increase their exports." 

The world is witnessing a profound economic initiative in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP): the regional free trade agreement under negotiation between the United States and ten countries in the Americas and Asia-Pacific region. It’s clear that a global free trade agreement, which includes the first and third largest economies, and all of NAFTA, will truly achieve “game changer” status.

Each day thousands of freight trains and commercial trucks chug across national borders delivering vital supplies. Hulking ships carry the largest of material slabs and the smallest of cogs over international waters. The movement of commerce buzzes around the globe as nations contribute to the economic health and welfare of each other. But what happens to companies when seemingly reliable supply chains are disrupted or break down?

In today’s dynamic and fast paced global environment, maintaining a strong and secure global supply chain is critical. But just as essential is the financial supply chain, which involves all transactions relating to cash flow from the buyer's purchase order through payment to the seller.

It is generally understood by Members of Congress, journalists and the public that exports are good for the American economy. They generate revenue, are responsible for a significant portion of U.S. economic growth, and contribute to employment. But what about imports?

There has been more buzz about the prospects for trade liberalization this year than at any time since the first term of President George W. Bush. It appears that some may be mistaking the chatter for actual accomplishment.

The beginning of March 2013 was marked by three important milestones in the unfolding transformation of the global order, each culminating processes that have been playing out since late 2012: The death of Hugo Chavez, the ascension of Xi Jinping as the President of the People’s Republic of China, and the implementation of draconian federal budget cuts in the United States.

Commercial letters of credit (CLCs) are the most actively used structured payment instruments in international trade. They have been available for decades — long enough for exporters to have figured out how to effectively use them. If only this were true. In reality, large numbers of exporters are not aware of the pitfalls.