1998 National Trade Estimate Report On Foreign Trade Barriers

The 13th in a series of annual surveys by the U.S. Trade Representative of significant foreign barriers to U.S. exports. It is based upon information compiled within USTR, the U.S. Depts. of Commerce & Agriculture, & other U.S. government agencies, & supplemented with information provided by members of the private sector trade advisory committees & U.S. embassies abroad. Trade barriers are broadly defined as government laws, regulations, policies, or practices that either protect domestic products from foreign competition or artificially stimulate exports of particular domestic products.

This is a print on demand edition of a hard to find publication. This annual report presents an inventory of the most important foreign barriers affecting U.S. exports of goods and services, foreign direct investment by U.S. persons, and protection of intellectual property rights. Such an inventory facilitates negotiations aimed at reducing or eliminating these barriers. The report also provides a valuable tool in enforcing U.S. trade laws, with the goal of expanding global trade and strengthening the rules-based trading system, which benefits all nations, and U.S. producers and consumers in particular. The report provides quantitative estimates of the impact of these foreign practices on the value of U.S. exports. Includes info. on some of the actions taken to eliminate foreign trade barriers. Charts and tables.