As you are aware, trade is an important issue of the Trump Administration and we would like to take this opportunity to ensure that PLASTICS members are heard loud and clear. The purpose of this short survey is to gather candid information on trade issues that PLASTICS members continue to face in their exporting activities, particularly those that limit their ability to increase their market share in the global market.

On aggregate the U.S. has a trade surplus in plastics. However, last year on a country-by-country basis, the U.S. had a trade deficit in plastics with 21 countries. It is to the best interest of the industry and the U.S. economy that a plastics trade surplus not only continues but increases.

Our interest is to learn more about trade related issues—both tariff (customs duties) and non-tariff— that are making your exporting activities cumbersome and/or costly.

Non-tariff restrictions are taxes and fees, prohibitions, conditions, or specific market requirements that makes importation or exportation of product difficultly and/or costly. Non-tariff barriers also include unjustified or improper application of non-tariff measures such as sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures and other technical barriers to trade (TBT).

These can be in the form of import bans; complex rules of origin; state or province of entry (NAFTA); unreasonable documentation requirements; unjustifiable packaging, labelling, product standards, and product classification; import licenses; corrupt and lengthy customs procedure; and etc.

Your confidential responses will be used solely for our advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill and with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and other regulators and will in no way be shared with other parties.

Please be candid in your responses.


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