July 30, 2009
News Release 09-056
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) today released The Year in Trade 2008, its annual overview of the previous year's trade-related activities.

The USITC's The Year in Trade is one of the government's most comprehensive reports of U.S. trade-related activities, covering major multilateral, regional, and bilateral developments.

The publication reviews U.S. international trade laws and actions under these laws in 2008, activities of the World Trade Organization (WTO), U.S. free trade agreements and negotiations, and U.S. bilateral trade relations with major trading partners.

The Year in Trade 2008 includes complete listings of antidumping, countervailing duty, safeguard, intellectual property rights infringement, and section 301 cases undertaken by the U.S. government in 2008. In addition, the 2008 report also covers:

• the operation of the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences, the African Growth and Opportunity Act, the Andean Trade Preference Act, and the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act;
• significant activities in the WTO, including its dispute settlement mechanism; the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development; and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum;
• developments in U.S. free trade agreements, including activities under the North American Free Trade Agreement; and
• bilateral trade issues with major U.S. trading partners the European Union, Canada, China, Mexico, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Brazil, and India.

The report also provides an overview of U.S. trade in goods and services during 2008. Statistical tables highlight U.S. bilateral trade with major trading partners and trade under U.S. trade preference programs.

The Year in Trade 2008 (USITC Publication 4091, July 2009) will be posted on the ITC's Internet site at http://www.usitc.gov/publications/332/pub4091.pdf. The report also is expected to be available at federal depository libraries in the United States and at offices of the U.S. Information Agency abroad.

In addition, the ITC is disseminating this report, as well as previous Year in Trade reports covering the years 2001-2007, on CD-ROM. The CD-ROM or a printed copy may be requested by emailing pubrequest@usitc.gov, calling 202-205-2000, or writing to the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be faxed to 202-205-2104. Technical questions concerning the CD-ROM version should be directed to Veronica Robinson at 202-205-2542.