A predictable, rules‑based global trading system is essential to U.S. manufacturing strength and long‑term economic competitiveness. For the chemical industry—which powers innovation, exports, and advanced manufacturing across the economy—certainty in the global trading environment is not optional; it is foundational. Businesses need confidence in the system not only to operate but to invest, innovate, hire, and grow.
ACC and our global partners in the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) strongly support a modernized World Trade Organization (WTO) built on three durable pillars:
- Negotiations that advance new, relevant, and commercially meaningful trade rules
- Implementation and monitoring that enhance transparency and ensure commitments are followed
- Effective dispute settlement that provides timely, predictable resolution of trade conflicts
Strengthening each pillar is essential to restoring trust in the rules‑based trading system and reinforcing U.S. leadership in global trade.
To help accelerate WTO modernization and ensure the system remains relevant to today’s economic and technological realities, ACC and ICCA are urging the Administration to:
- Support pragmatic reforms to the WTO dispute settlement system and promote a consensus‑driven package that restores a fully functioning Appellate Body.
- Advance negotiations on digital trade and investment facilitation, recognizing the growing importance of data‑driven technologies and globally integrated supply chains.
- Improve WTO transparency and stakeholder engagement by ensuring:
- full and timely notification of proposed and final measures, and
- expanded opportunities for chemical industry input in WTO proceedings, committees, and forums.
- Examine how trade intersects with modern policy priorities—including climate change, circularity, plastic waste reduction, biodiversity, fossil fuel subsidy reform, decarbonizing supply chains, and carbon border adjustment mechanisms.
- Make regulatory cooperation a core element of WTO reform, helping reduce unnecessary barriers while maintaining high standards for health, safety, and the environment.
- Pursue tariff reduction and elimination for chemicals through mechanisms such as:
- expanding membership in the Chemical Tariff Harmonization Agreement (CTHA) among key economies (e.g., Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and selected ASEAN countries), and
- advancing plurilateral initiatives focused on sustainable materials and environmental goods.
A revitalized WTO—one that is transparent, modern, and equipped to address contemporary challenges—will strengthen U.S. chemical manufacturing, support American workers, and reinforce the global competitiveness of the many industries that depend on chemistry.
