Request Letter

EXECUTIVE OFFICE
THE UNITED STATES TR

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WASHINGTON, D.C.

The Honorable Deanna Tanner Okun
Chairman
U.S. International Trade Commission
500 E Street, SW
Washington, DC 20436

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JAN 0 9 2012

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Dear Chairman Okun:
The National Strategy for Electronics Stewardship, which was developed by an interagency task
force, sets forth recommendations for better management of electronics throughout product
lifecycles. One of the recommendations is to improve information on trade flows of used
electronic products.. Better data are needed to create a clear picture of trade flows, which will
enhance the understanding of the U.S. government and stakeholders of trade in used electronic
products.
Pursuant to authority delegated by the President to the United States Trade Representative
(USTR) under Section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930, I request that the U.S. International
Trade Commission (Commission) undertake a study and prepare a report that describes U.S.
exports of used electronic products, such as audio and visual equipment, computers and
peripheral equipment, digital imaging devices, telecommunication equipment, and component
parts of these products. Additional electronic products may be included in the report as the
Commission deems relevant. The report should be based on a review of available data and other
information, including primary data collected through a survey of enterprises engaged in
exporting used electronic products from the United States. The Commission's report should
cover 2011, or the latest year data are available, and, to the extent practicable, include
information on the following:
•

the type, volume, and value of, and foreign markets of significance for, exports of used
electronic products from the United States;

•

the forms and activities, with respect to used electronic products, of enterprises
receiving U.S. exporters' shipments, most common end uses of exports in the foreign
market (i.e., further processing, final disposal, etc.), and the extent of cross-border,
intra-finn shipments by U.S. exporters;

•

the characteristics of used electronic products exported from the United States,
including product condition (e.g.,working, non-working, remanufacturable,
refurbisha:ble, rep·airable), composition of shipments (single product type, multiple
product types), and the extent to which exports are processed (broken down or
stripped), or remain intact prior to exportation; and

•

the forms, activities and characteristics of domestic exporting enterprises (e.g., original
equipment manufacturers, remanufacturers, refurbishers, brokers, recyclers, nonprofits, etc.) including the extent to which the exporter is foreign-invested.

In addition, USTR would benefit from information, to the extent it is available, on the following:
•

the relative share of sales by U.S. companies of used electronic products that are (1)
exported, (2) sold to firms in the United States, (3) processed by the exporter itself,
and (4) disposed of by the exporter itself.

•

the factors affecting trade in used electronic products.

I am requesting that the Commission deliver this report no later than 13 months from the date of
receipt of this letter.
I anticipate that the Commission's report will be made available to the public in its entirety.
Therefore, the report should not contain any confidential business or national security
information.
The Commission's assistance in this matter is greatly appreciated.

Ambassador Ron Kirk