U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today announced her intent to establish the Advisory Council on Trade Enforcement and Compliance (ACTEC) within the Department of Commerce.  The ACTEC will provide a dedicated forum for stakeholders to advise the Secretary on trade enforcement and agreement compliance matters, thereby advancing the competitiveness of U.S. firms and workers.
 
“Enforcement has been a cornerstone of the Department’s and the Obama Administration’s trade agenda,” said Secretary Pritzker. “In 2015-16, the Department investigated a record high number of trade remedy investigations, enforced 350 orders addressing dumped and/or unfairly subsidized imports, enacted enhanced enforcement tools, and resolved trade compliance cases involving foreign governments that implicated more than $14 billion in U.S. exports. To help the Department with these efforts and further execute this important mission, it is crucial that we have the best information from businesses and other stakeholders as we direct our enforcement efforts.”
 
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Enforcement and Compliance, Paul Piquado, praised the initiative, stating, “Establishing a regular stakeholder advisory mechanism will further enhance the Department’s ability to craft its enforcement initiatives and to resolve compliance problems in foreign markets in a commercially-meaningful timeframe.”
 
The Department of Commerce has issued a Federal Register notice inviting interested stakeholders to apply for membership to the ACTEC. The members of the Council will be selected by the incoming administration, in consultation with the Department’s expert staff.