Promoting U.S. Exports and the Rule of Law in Russia

Summary

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Although global trade talks are going nowhere, the ministerial meeting of World Trade Organization members in Geneva next week will accomplish at least one item of major importance: admitting Russia to the club. Whether U.S. companies can reap the benefits of a more open Russian market will depend on the repeal of a U.S. law that has become an awkward relic of the Cold War.

The law is the 1974 Jackson-Vanik amendment, which was aimed at forcing the Soviet Union to allow Jews to emigrate by withholding "normal trade relations" (NTR) access to the U.S. market. Even though Jackson-Vanik never worked as intended, the law remains on the books two decades after the Soviet Union expired, requiring Congress to renew Russia's NTR status annually.

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Extract

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Promoting U.S. Exports and the Rule of Law in Russia

Granting Russia permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) by repealing Jackson-Vanik is key to promoting bilateral trade. If the law remains in effect, Russia will join the WT...

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