NEWSLINK: Details of U.S. bill on Russia trade, human rights
[Factbox: Details of U.S. bill on Russia trade, human rights – Reuters – Dec. 13, 2012 – http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/12/13/uk-usa-russia-trade-idUKBRE8BC18120121213]
Reuters sets out bullet points recent U.S. legislation consider trade and Russian human rights, developed in response to Russia’s August 22, 2012, accession to the WTO. Regarding trade, the legislation repeals the Jackson-Vanik amendment and looks to ensure investment-related rule of law, Russian compliance with WTO requirements and respect for intellectual property, as low the lowering of trade barriers in agriculture and generally:
* Establishes “permanent normal trade relations” with Russia by [effectively repealing] … the Jackson-Vanik amendment …
* Directs the U.S. trade representative to report annually on how well Russia is meeting its WTO commitments and … progress toward joining WTO agreements on technology goods and government procurement … requires when appropriate a plan of actions to prod Moscow to achieve those goals.
* Directs the USTR to report annually on … enforcement actions to make sure Russia abides by WTO rules.
* Directs the USTR and the secretary of state to report annually on … measures … taken to promote … rule of law in Russia to support U.S. investment.
* Requires the Commerce Department to establish a hotline and secure website to allow U.S. companies to report on Russian pressure to extract bribes [and] report annually on … corruption.
* Requires the USTR to report annually on any Russian laws, policies or practices that deny fair and equitable market access to U.S. digital trade.
* Requires the USTR to pursue further reductions in Russian trade barriers by trying to negotiate pacts requiring Moscow to accept U.S. food safety measures as equivalent to its own and … protect U.S. copyrights, patents and trademarks.
The legislation also looks to deny visas and freeze assets of those involved with the Sergei Magnitsky death, as well as others involved with human rights criminality such as torture and murders, as well as other human rights violations committed as reprisals against human rights advocates and those exposing official corruption:
* Directs the president to compile, publish and regularly update a list of individuals who he has determined are responsible for, or have benefited financially from, the detention, abuse or death of Sergei Magnitsky …
* Directs the president to also include on the list individuals responsible for extrajudicial killings, torture or other human rights violations committed against individuals seeking to promote human rights or to expose illegal activity carried out by Russian officials.
* Allows certain members of Congress to provide information on individuals they think should be included on the list.
* * *
* Denies U.S. visas to individuals on the list, although the secretary of state could waive that provision for national security interests or if entry of any individual is necessary for the United States to comply with its commitments as the host of U.N. headquarters …
* Bars individuals on the list from banking in the United States by freezing their assets … grants the secretary of treasury a national security waiver. …
Click here for full article: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/12/13/uk-usa-russia-trade-idUKBRE8BC18120121213