SBA & USITC Calls on NJ Small Exporters for Comments

On Dec 10, 2018

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) are calling all New Jersey small- and medium-sized exporters to share their comments about trade barriers they may have faced while exporting to the United Kingdom.

It’s all part of a listening session scheduled for Jan. 9 in New York City where USITC  officials will be gathering information and comments from small exporters to help prepare the U.S. Trade Representative for upcoming negotiations  with the United Kingdom  for a U.S. – U.K. Trade Agreement.

According to SBA Region II Regional Administrator Steve Bulger who oversees the agency’s programs and services for New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the U.K. is New Jersey’s third largest trading partner with $2.2 billion in exports going to the U.K. in 2017.

“Small business exporters’ account for 92 percent of New Jersey goods exported and play a vital role in our local economy,” said Bulger. “Overall, New Jersey generated $34.5 billion in export sales last year and helped support 132,000 U.S. jobs as a result of goods exported from the state, so it is important that they have a seat at the table and share their experiences and feedback; it will go a long way in helping to prepare the U.S. Trade Representative for negotiations for a new trade agreement with the United Kingdom.”

The listening session will take place Jan. 9 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the Ted Weiss Federal Building located at 290 Broadway, 30th Floor New York, NY 10007, but in order to participate, New Jersey Small business exporters are asked to reserve a space by registering online.

New Jersey small exporters who cannot attend the listening session may also electronically submit comments to assist the U.S. Trade Representative in developing negotiating objectives and positions for the proposed U.S.-U.K. Trade Agreement.  In addition to submitting comments electronically, they may also request to participate in a public hearing scheduled for Tuesday January 29, 2019.

In order for small business exporters to visit and provide comments to the notice by Tuesday, January 15, 2019, they must submit written comments or written notification of their intent to testify along with a summary of their testimony to U.S. Trade Representative at www.regulations.gov .  Search for docket number USTR-2018-0036-0001. Click the “Comment Now” https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=USTR_FRDOC_0001-0497 .

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