Why Congress Should Renew the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP)

July 18, 2013 • 10:00 – 11:15 am EDT

With a panel featuring

His Excellency Chaiyong Satjipanon
Ambassador of Thailand to the United States

Ms. Chelsea Thomas
International Trade Analyst for the U.S. Senate Finance Committee

Mr. Ed Gresser
Director of the Progressive Economy think tank, and
Senior Advisor of Fontheim International LLC

Moderated by

Mr. Murray Hiebert
Senior Fellow and Deputy Director, Sumitro Chair for Southeast Asia Studies, CSIS

Thursday, July 18, 2013
10:00 am – 11:15 am

CSIS’ Sumitro Chair for Southeast Asia Studies is pleased to invite you to a discussion on why it is important for U.S. relations with Southeast Asia that Congress quickly renews the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). The program will expire on July 31, 2013, unless it is renewed by Congress.

The GSP promotes economic growth in the developing world by granting preferential duty-free U.S. market access for a variety of products. The Southeast Asian countries of Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand account for over 30 percent of the value of the program. In 2012, U.S. businesses imported $6.2 billion in low cost goods from Southeast Asia under the GSP. The GSP benefits both U.S. consumers and companies, and workers in the GSP recipient countries.

Panel Bios

His Excellency Chaiyong Satjipanon is ambassador of Thailand to the United States. He has previously represented Thailand in Geneva, Sydney, Seoul, Rome, and Jakarta.

Chelsea Thomas is an international trade analyst for the U.S. Senate Finance Committee. Ms. Thomas has served in her current role for over eight years.

Ed Gresser is director of the Progressive Economy think tank and senior advisor of Fontheim   International, LLC. Mr. Gresser previously served as director of the Trade and Global Markets program and as interim president of the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC).

Please RSVP to SoutheastAsiaProgram@csis.org by noon on July 17.  If you have questions, please contact Ms. Elke Larsen at (202) 775-3269.

Image
Murray Hiebert
Senior Associate (Non-resident), Southeast Asia Program