Rita Hayes

Former Chief Textile Negotiator

Ambassador Hayes joined Hogan & Hartson after more than 20 years of experience and leadership with the U.S. government and international organizations. She most recently served in two extraordinary international positions. From 2001 through December 2006, she held the position of Deputy Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to which she was approved by the 184 Member States. She served as Ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO) from 1997 to 2001, a post to which she was nominated by President Bill Clinton in 1997 and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Ambassador Hayes represented the United States at the WTO during a very critical period from 1997 to 2001.

As Deputy Director General of WIPO, Hayes was the leading voice on copyright and related rights policy. She had the overall responsibility for the development of international legal standards in the field of copyright. In her capacity as Deputy Director General, she also maintained relations with the copyright industries worldwide and addressed Member States' requests for assistance in developing copyright legislation.

During her tenure at WIPO, she worked with Member States to reach a consensus on an updated treaty for the protection of broadcasters' rights. She had under her supervision WIPO's library and collection of laws relating to Member States' legislative enactments. Coordinating joint projects with Member States on communication and public outreach, she worked extensively with various channels for promoting information on WIPO's activities. She oversaw the organization's Enforcement Division, which works with Member States, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector in promoting more effective enforcement of intellectual property rights. Maintaining and developing the organization's relations with the private sector through regular consultations with industry groups was an initiative under her purview. Ministerial level consultations on intellectual property and related issues in both developed and developing countries involving Ministries of Trade, Industry, Finance, Justice, Culture, Education, Energy, and others were among the consultations that she conducted at WIPO.

Ambassador Hayes served as Deputy U.S. Trade Representative and Ambassador to the WTO from November 1997 through August 2001, and she served as Acting U.S. Trade Representative from January through March 2001. Working closely with Directors General of the WTO and ministers and senior government officials from Member States, she strived to build consensus for WTO initiatives. She presented, argued, and defended U.S. positions before the WTO General Council, the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Council, the Trade Policy Review Board, and other committees within the WTO. Consulting and forging understandings with heads of various other-related institutions in Geneva on trade matters such as WIPO, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Trade Center (ITC), the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were among her accomplishments. Ambassador Hayes encouraged greater participation and transparency in WTO proceedings. In February 1998, she launched U.S. negotiations at the WTO to obtain a declaration on Global Electronic Commerce, leading the U.S. delegation in Geneva to achieve a first-time multilateral declaration for a work program and a duty-free cyberspace commitment at the May 1998 WTO Ministerial Conference. Meeting regularly with members of the U.S. Congress, parliaments, staff, and delegations, as well as private sector groups, she explained and examined approaches to trade policy.

Confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 1996, Ambassador Hayes served with Ambassadorial rank from 1996 to 1997 as U.S. Chief Textile Negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) in Washington, D.C. and conducted multilateral and bilateral negotiations. She represented the USTR on a number of interagency committees, such as the textile and wholesale and retailer industry advisory committees and the Committee for Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

Ambassador Hayes was the lead U.S. representative before the Textile Monitoring Body, including examination of market and company statistics in the presentation of cases. She regularly represented U.S. interests before WTO panel and appellate body hearings. She successfully negotiated approximately 30 trade agreements with several countries in Europe, Central and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America concerning textile trade, settlement of disputes, rules of origin, and new arrangements for trade and customs documentation.

Ambassador Hayes negotiated intensively with the European community on a U.S. textile rules of origin dispute resulting in a settlement agreement in 1997. In 1996 and 1997, she successfully negotiated complex and high-profile agreements that set a new standard in market access for all textiles agreements. During this period, she also worked closely with members of Congress on textile-related trade legislation including a rules of origin marking statute.

From 1992 to 1995, Ambassador Hayes served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles, Apparel, and Consumer Goods for the U.S. Department of Commerce. As Chair of the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA), she was responsible for coordinating interagency (Department of Commerce, USTR, State Department, Labor Department, Treasury Department, Customs) oversight of the implementation of the U.S. textile and apparel program, bilateral and multilateral textile agreements, such as the GATT Multi-Fiber Arrangement, and supervision of the textile provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Ambassador Hayes was responsible for domestic and international policy initiatives that encouraged competitiveness of American fiber, textile, apparel, consumer products, and businesses. During the Uruguay Round negotiations leading up to the Marrakesh Agreement that established the WTO and launched several multilateral agreements, including the WTO textiles agreement (ATC). Under the GATT Multi-Fiber Arrangement, she negotiated several bilateral textile agreements, special bilateral visa arrangements for textile and apparel products and agreements to avoid transshipment. Consulting with the U.S. Congress in preparation for the Uruguay Round concerning the implementation of legislation, she conducted open hearings at the International Trade Commission and other locations to formulate methodology for implementing the provisions of the ATC phase-out. She also served on and addressed export promotion boards in various states concerning consumer goods of export interest to U.S. companies including jewelry, automobiles, footwear, and other products.

From 1983 to 1992, Ambassador Hayes served as Chief of Staff for two members of the U.S. Congress.

Ambassador Hayes resides in Geneva, Switzerland.