International Trade & Customs Committee

Overview

The International Trade & Customs Committees are made up of trade, customs, and compliance experts from the largest and most innovative retail companies. The Committees serve as a forum for executives from RILA’s member companies to network, benchmark and exchange ideas on the most pressing trade-related issues facing the retail industry. The landscape of trade is everchanging and fast-paced, but recent discussions have included the impact of tariffs on retailers, the negotiation and implementation of free trade agreements, the intersection of economic and national security issues, implementation of government programs including the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT), and the renewal of trade legislation including the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) and the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB).

In order to provide input, feedback, and leadership on key trade issues, the Committees work routinely with various U.S. government agencies carrying out U.S. trade policy, trade facilitation, and trade enforcement, including the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Treasury, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, as well as with lawmakers and the committees of jurisdiction overseeing trade issues in Congress.

The Committees also inform RILA’s work on various coalitions that aim to create new opportunities for open markets and lower trade barriers while facilitating the efficient movement of goods and services across our borders and through America’s ports of entry.

The Committees have a monthly conference call on the first Tuesday of every month, however the Committees also hold ad hoc calls based on member interest and fast-developing issues. The Committees also partner with other RILA communities to hold cross-functional calls covering issues of shared interest. In the past, the Committees met in-person once per year in conjunction with the Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Trade Symposium.

In 2020, we converted the in-person meeting into a virtual speaker series. Featured guest speakers included Congressional trade staffers, an EU trade minister, and officials from U.S. government agencies such as CBP, the State Department and the Department of Labor to name a few.

For more information on the International Trade and Customs Committees, please reach out to Blake Harden, vice president of international trade.