ITAC 3 Charter
1. Committee’s Official Designation (Title).
The Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, Health/Science
Products and Services (ITAC 3).
2. Authority. The Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Chemicals, Phannaceuticals,
Health/Science Products and Services (the Committee) has been established by the Secretary of
Commerce (the Secretary) and the United States Trade Representative (the USTR) pursuant to
the authority of section 135(c)(2) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. § 2155) (the
Trade Act), as delegated by Executive Order 11846, as amended. In establishing the Committee,
the Secretary and the USTR consulted with interested private organizations and took into
account the factors set forth in section 135(c)(2)(B) of the Trade Act. This Committee has been
established in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA),
as amended, 5 U.S.C. App.
3. Objectives and Scope of Activities. The Committee shall perfonn such functions and duties
and prepare such reports as may be required by section 135 of the Trade Act with respect to the
industry trade advisory committees. The Committee advises the Secretary and the USTR
concerning the trade matters referred to in section 135(a)(I} of the Trade Act, and is consulted
regarding the matters referred to in section I 35(a)(2) of the Trade Act.
4. Description of Duties. The Committee functions solely as an advisory committee in accordance
with the provisions of the FACA, as amended, 5 U.S.C. App., with the exceptions set forth in the
Trade Act.
In particular, the Committee provides detailed policy and technical advice, infonnation, and
recommendations to the Secretary and the USTR regarding trade barriers, negotiation of trade
agreements, and implementation of existing trade agreements affecting its sectors; and performs
such other advisory functions relevant to U.S. trade policy as may be requested by the Secretary
and the USTR or their designees.
5. Agency or Official to Whom the Committee Reports. The Committee reports to the Secretary
and the USTR, or their designees, through the Under Secretary of Commerce for International
Trade and the Assistant Secretary for Industry and Analysis (the Assistant Secretary), and the
Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement (the
AUSTR).
6. Support. Commerce and the Office of the USTR established the Industry Trade Advisory
Center to jointly administer the fifteen Industry Trade Advisory Committees (IT ACs) and the
Committee of Chairs. The AUSTR and the Director of the Industry Trade Advisory Center
jointly manage the work of the IT A Cs on behalf of the Secretary, the USTR, and their designees.
The Assistant Secretary provides staff support and services for the Committee through the
Industry Trade Advisory Center. Except as otherwise provided in this charter, Commerce is
responsible for filings and other applicable statutory requirements of the FACA.
7. Estimated Annual Operating Costs and Staff Years. The estimated annual operating cost of
the Committee is $50,000.00, which includes 0.5 person-years of staff support. Members of the
Committee will not be compensated for their services or reimbursed for travel expenses.
8. Designated Federal Officer. The Assistant Secretary designates the Designated Federal Officer
(DFO) and Secondary DFO from among full-time and permanent part-time employees of the
International Trade Administration. The DFO will approve or call all of the Committee’s and
subcommittees’ meetings, prepare and approve in advance all agendas, attend all Committee and
subcommittee meetings, adjourn any meeting when the DFO determines adjournment to be in the
public interest, and chair meetings when directed to do so by the official to whom the advisory
committee reports. The DFO has the responsibility for ensuring that the meetings of the
Committee, any subgroups, subcommittees, working groups, or task forces are conducted in
accordance with the requirements of the FACA and its implementing regulations, the Trade Act,
and other applicable laws, regulations, and policies.
The DFO is assigned to work with the Committee members, the Director of the Industry Trade
Advisory Center, and other Government officials on the Committee’s work program and meeting
agendas, and to ensure that the substantive aspects of the Committee’s work are moving forward.
9. Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings. The Committee meets at irregular intervals at
the cal I of the Secretary and the USTR, or their designees, acting jointly.
10. Duration. Continuing.
11. Termination. Pursuant to section 135(t)(2) of the Trade Act, this charter shall expire four years
from the date indicated below unless it is earlier revoked or extended by proper authority by
appropriate action.
12. Members and Designations. The Committee consists of not more than 50 members with
experience relevant to the chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and health/science products and services
industry sectors. Members shall be appointed by the Secretary and the USTR and shall be
selected on a clear, standardized basis, in accordance with applicable Commerce guidance. The
core criteria used in selecting members are: representation of a sponsoring U.S. entity’s or U.S.
organization’s and its subsector’s (if applicable) interests on trade matters, ability to carry out the
objectives of the Committee as set forth in Section 3 (including knowledge and expertise of the
industry and of trade matters relevant to the work of the Committee), and ensuring that the
Committee is balanced in terms of points of view, geography, and entity or organization size. In
addition, the Secretary and the Trade Representative are committed to achieving diversity in the
membership of the Committees to the maximum extent practicable consistent with the need for
balanced industry representation and expertise. The Secretary and the Trade Representative may
seek additional nominations as necessary to ensure balanced representation, to meet a need for
special representation, or to achieve diversity and demographic balance.
Members serve at the discretion of the Secretary and the USTR. The Secretary and the USTR
may, at their discretion, reappoint an individual member upon renewing this charter provided
that the member proves to work effectively in the Committee and the represented entity’s or
organization’s viewpoint is still needed.
The Committee chair and vice chair or vice chairs, as appropriate, are elected from the
membership by the members for a period not to exceed the duration of this charter and may be
reelected for one or more additional periods should the charter of the Committee be renewed.
The members will serve in a representative capacity presenting the views and interests of a U.S.
entity or U.S. organization and its subsector (if applicable) in the chemicals, pharmaceuticals,
and health/science products and services industry sectors; they are, therefore, not Special
Government Employees.
The members shall not reference or otherwise utilize their membership on the Committee in
connection with public statements made in their personal capacities without a disclaimer that the
views expressed are their own and do not represent the views of the Committee, the Department
of Commerce, or the Office of the USTR.
The Chair of the Committee may select one member (in exceptional instances, not more than two
members) to serve as a non-voting representative, representing the views and interests of the
Committee, to each of the following ITACs: Customs Matters and Trade Facilitation,
Intellectual Property Rights, and Standards and Technical Trade Barriers. The selected
member(s) will serve for a period not to exceed the duration of the ITAC charter and may be reselected
for one or more additional periods should the charter be renewed.
13. Subcommittees. Commerce and the Office of the USTR may establish subcommittees or
working groups as may be necessary, and consistent with the FACA and other applicable laws,
regulations, and policies. Such subcommittees or working groups may not work independently
of the chartered committee and must report their recommendations and advice to the Committee
for full deliberation and discussion. Subcommittees or working groups have no authority to
make decisions on behalf of the Committee nor can they report directly to the Secretary, the
USTR, or their designees.
14. Record keeping. The records of the Committee, formally and informally established
subcommittees, or other subgroups of the Committee, shall be handled in accordance with
General Records Schedule 6.2, or other approved agency records disposition schedule. Subject
to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552, records presented to or prepared for or by the
Committee are available for public inspection. The Industry Trade Advisory Center at
Commerce will maintain all files required by the F ACA and other applicable laws, regulations,
and policies.