Associations Urge Congress to Resolve ETI Dispute, End EU Tariffs

The 235 undersigned associations and companies want to emphasize the urgency of resolving the FSC/ETI export tax issue as soon as possible. We commend both the House and Senate for passing bills that address the FSC/ETI issue. Quick enactment of final legislation is necessary now to comply with our WTO obligations and end retaliation that began four months ago against U.S. products.

On July 1, the European Union (EU) increased the retaliatory tariff from 8 percent to 9 percent on as much as $4 billion per year of American products. Further Congressional delay will ultimately result in tariffs of 17 percent. Affected products range from jewelry, agriculture, wood products, toys, textile, apparel and footwear products to refrigeration equipment, iron and steel products, construction equipment, industrial trucks, and paper products. These retaliatory tariffs are hurting U.S. exports to Europe at a time when they are just beginning to rebound and the global economy is showing signs of renewed growth. Moreover, these tariffs negatively impact jobs of American workers.

We urge the House and Senate to proceed immediately to conference and produce a bill that can be signed by the President prior to the upcoming six-week Congressional recess. Thank you in advance for doing your part to send a FSC/ETI bill to the President's desk without delay, thus minimizing the economically devastating trade sanctions on U.S. products and their impact on the American workers who produce them.

Sincerely,

AeA (American Electronics Association)

Agribusiness Association of Iowa

Agribusiness Council of Indiana

Agriculture Ocean Transportation Coalition

Agricultural Retailers Association

Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute

Alabama Forestry Association

Allegheny Hardwood Utilization Group, Inc.

Allen-Edmonds Shoe Corporation

American Apparel & Footwear Association

American Architectural Manufacturers Association

American Boiler Manufacturers Association

American Chemistry Council

American Cotton Shippers Association

American Council for Capital Formation

American Farm Bureau Federation

American Forest & Paper Association

American Forest Resource Council

American Frozen Food Institute

American Gas Association

American Hardwood Export Council

American Iron and Steel Institute

American Peanut Council

American Seed Trade Association

American Soybean Association

AMT- The Association For Manufacturing Technology

Arizona Association of Industries

Arkansas Forestry Association

Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce

Association of American Railroads

Association of Consulting Foresters of America, Inc.

Association of Equipment Manufacturers

Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers

Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers®

Associated Industries of Arkansas, Inc.

Associated Industries of Kentucky

Associated Industries of Massachusetts

Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce (IL)

Battle Creek Area Chamber of Commerce (MI)

Bay Area Manufacturers Association, Clearwater, FL

Bayer Corporation

Beaver County Chamber of Commerce (PA)

Belhaven Community Chamber of Commerce (NC)

Boise Cascade Corporation

Brunswick Corporation

Business Council of Alabama

Business Roundtable

California Chamber of Commerce

California Forestry Association

California Manufacturers & Technology Association

California State Grange

Capital Associated Industries, Inc., Raleigh, NC

Cascade Employers Association, Inc., Salem, OR

Central Virginia Industries, Inc., Lynchburg, VA

Chamber of Commerce of Fargo Moorhead (ND, MN)

Chesapeake Corporation

Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce

Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce

Coalition for American Manufacturing Jobs

Coalition of New England Companies for Trade

Computing Technology Industry Association

Connecticut Business & Industry Association

Composite Can & Tube Institute

Cornerstone Chamber of Commerce (MI)

Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce (VA)

Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce (OH)

Delaware Manufacturers Association

Delaware State Chamber of Commerce

Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce (MI)

Dublin Chamber of Commerce (OH)

Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce (MN)

Eastman Kodak Company

Electronic Industries Alliance

Employers Association, Inc., Plymouth, MN

Far West Agribusiness Association

FCI USA, Inc.

Florida Fertilizer & Agrichemical Association

Florida Forestry Association

Florida State Chamber of Commerce

Forest Landowners Association

Forest Landowners Tax Council

Forest Resources Association

Forging Industry Association

Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association

Georgia Agribusiness Council

Georgia Crop Production Alliance

Georgia Industry Association

Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce (MI)

Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce (MN)

Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce (IN)

Greater Louisville Inc. (KY)

Greater Merced Chamber of Commerce (CA)

Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce (RI)

Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce (NY)

Grocery Manufacturers of America

Gulf County/Port St. Joe Chamber of Commerce (FL)

Harrisburg Regional Chamber of Commerce (PA)

Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association

Hollywood Chamber of Commerce (CA)

Hyster Company

Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association

Indiana Chamber of Commerce

Industrial Truck Association

International Paper Company

Jackson Area Manufacturers Association, Jackson, MI

Johnson City/Jonesborough/Washington County Chamber of Commerce (TN)

Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IL)

Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association

Kansas Grain and Feed Association

Kentucky Chamber of Commerce

Kentucky Forest Industries Association

Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce (PA)

Lima/Allen County Chamber of Commerce (OH) Livonia Chamber of Commerce (MI)

Liz Claiborne

Longview Fibre Company

Louisiana Forestry Association

Louisiana Association of Business and Industry

Love County Chamber of Commerce (OK)

Louisiana-Pacific Corporation

Maine Pulp and Paper Association

Mankato Chamber of Commerce (MN)

Manufacturers Association of Central Florida, Orlando, FL

Manufacturers Association of Mid-Eastern Pennsylvania, Pottsville, PA

Manufacturing Alliance of Connecticut, Inc. (MAC), Waterbury, CT

Manufacturing Jewelers and Suppliers of America

Marion Regional Manufacturers Association, Ocala, FL

Maryland Chamber of Commerce

McCurtain County Chamber of Commerce (OK)

MeadWestvaco Corporation

Metal Treating Institute

Michigan Agri-Business Association

Michigan Bean Shippers Association

Michigan Chamber of Commerce

Minnesota Agri-Growth Council

Minnesota Chamber of Commerce

Minnesota Crop Production Retailers

Minnesota Forest Industries Minnesota Timber Producers Association

Mississippi Forestry Association

Mississippi Manufacturers Association

Missouri Ag Industries Council, Inc. (MO-AG)

Missouri Forest Products Association

Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce (AL)

Montana Agricultural Business Association

Montana Wood Products Association

Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce (IL)

National Association of Manufacturers

National Corn Growers Association

National Cotton Council

National Council of Farmer Cooperatives

National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO)

National Electrical Manufacturers Association

National Grain & Feed Association

National Grain Trade Council

National Grange

National Hardwood Lumber Association

National Marine Manufacturers Association

National Oilseed Processors Association

National Thoroughbred Racing Association

Nebraska Agri-Business Association

Nebraska Chamber of Commerce

Nevada Association of Employers, Reno, NV

New Jersey Business & Industry Association

New Jersey Chamber of Commerce

Nissan Forklift Corporation

North American Export Grain Association

North American Wholesale Lumber Association

North Carolina Forestry Association

Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce

Northwest Woodland Owners Association

NPES The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies

Ohio AgriBusiness Association

Oregon Forest Industries Council

OSRAM Sylvania Electronic Control Systems

Pacific Coast Council of Custom Brokers and Freight Forwarders

Pacific Northwest Asia Shippers Association

Packaging Corporation of America

Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry

Peoria Chamber of Commerce (IL)

Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce (SD)

Precision Machined Products Association

Pressure Sensitive Tape Council

Printing Industries of America

Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association

The Raymond Corporation

Rayonier

Rolls-Royce North America, Inc.

S&C Electric Company

SACIA, The Business Council of Southwest Connecticut

Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce (CA)

San Diego Employers Association, San Diego, CA

Scranton Chamber of Commerce (PA)

Sigma Aldrich Corporation

SMC Business Councils, Pittsburg, PA

Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation

Softwood Export Council

South Carolina Fertilizer and Agrichemical Association

South Carolina Forestry Association

South Dakota Chamber of Commerce & Industry

South Florida Manufacturers Association, Pompano Beach, FL

Southern Forest Products Association

Southern Indiana Chamber of Commerce

Southwest Area Manufacturers Association, Springfield, MO

Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association International

St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce (MN)

St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce (MN)

Starker Forests, Inc.

Stillwater Chamber of Commerce (OK)

Systems Material Handling Company

Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Tennessee Forestry Association

Texarkana Chamber of Commerce (AR, TX)

Texas Forestry Association

Texas Logging Council

The Aluminum Association

The Cosmetic, Toiletry, & Fragrance Association

The Dow Chemical Company

The Employers Association, Charlotte, NC

The Employers' Association, Grand Rapids, MI

Thombert, Inc.

Travel Goods Association

Treated Wood Council

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Utah Manufacturers Association

Valley Industrial Association, Aurora, IL

Virginia Forestry Association

Washington Contract Loggers Association

Weyerhaeuser Company

West Branch Manufacturers' Association, Williamsport, PA

West Virginia Manufacturers Association

Window & Door Manufacturers Association

Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce

Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America

Yale Materials Handling Corporation