Meeting Convened by Ambassador Froman to Build International Support for the Myanmar Initiative to Promote Fundamental Labor Rights and Practices

On October 10, 2014, U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman brought together representatives of the U.S. government, Myanmar and other international governments, the International Labor Organization, the World Bank, and the International Finance Corporation to help build support for a joint U.S.-Myanmar (Burma) initiative to improve labor conditions in Myanmar. The labor initiative was announced during Ambassador Froman's visit to Myanmar, the first by a U.S. Trade Representative, in August.

Participants in the meetings at USTR included representatives from the United States, Myanmar, Australia, the European Commission, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. The International Labor Organization, World Bank, and International Finance Corporation also took part. In addition to Ambassador Froman, additional U.S. agency representatives from the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Department of Labor, and the Department of the Treasury participated in the meeting.

Prior to November 16, 2012, the U.S. had, since 1997, under Executive Order 13047, and since 2003 under the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003 and Executive Order 13310, the United States had banned the importation of products of Burma.