American Association of Exporters & Importers

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"The National Voice of the International Trade Community Since 1921" For 80 years the American Association of Exporters and Importers (AAEI) has been the national voice of American business in support of fair and open trade among nations. AAEI's expertise in international trade and customs matters is widely recognized in Washington and other national capitals. AAEI is the only national association dedicated exclusively to representing the interests of both U.S. exporters and importers before U.S. government agencies, Congress, international organizations, and foreign governments. AAEI's members include manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of a broad spectrum of products including chemicals, electronics, machinery, footwear, automobiles and automotive parts, food, household consumer goods, toys, specialty items, textiles and apparel, and footwear. AAEI membership also comprises organizations serving the international trade community such as carriers, customs brokers, freight forwarders, banks, attorneys, and insurance firms. AAEI's large and diverse membership base provides it with a high level of credibility among policy makers. As the chief representative of the entire U.S. international trade community, and of both importers and exporters, AAEI is able with particular effectiveness to make the point that trade restrictions and protectionism ultimately injure the world's largest consumer market and the world's largest exporter: the United States. AAEI maintains a close and constructive liaison with the U.S. Customs Service, working side-by-side with Customs managers on regulatory and policy initiatives that affect the efficiency and profitability of U.S. companies involved in international trade. AAEI also monitors and works with the Commerce Department, FDA, USDA, USTR, ITC, INS, and DOT, as well as other government agencies that have regulatory authority over trade across U.S. borders. Because of the breadth of its membership and policy interests, AAEI is often called upon by Congressional committees to offer its technical expertise on policy and regulatory matters involving global commerce. Among the issues on which AAEI has provided testimony are U.S.-China trade, fast track negotiating authority, extension of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), and changes to the administration of dumping laws. AAEI also closely monitors export-related issues such as U.S. economic sanctions, export controls, intellectual property rights protection, and elimination of foreign barriers to U.S. exports.