Facilitating regulatory exchanges with allies and partners

(a) In general The Secretary, in coordination with the heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies, should establish and develop a voluntary program to facilitate and encourage regular dialogues between interested United States Government regulatory and technical agencies and their counterpart organizations in allied and partner countries, both bilaterally and in relevant multilateral institutions and organizations— (1) to promote best practices in regulatory formation and implementation; (2) to collaborate to achieve optimal regulatory outcomes based on scientific, technical, and other relevant principles; (3) to seek better harmonization and alignment of regulations and regulatory practices; and (4) to build consensus around industry and technical standards in emerging sectors that will drive future global economic growth and commerce. (b) Prioritization of activities In facilitating expert exchanges under subsection (a), the Secretary should prioritize— (1) bilateral coordination and collaboration with countries where greater regulatory coherence, harmonization of standards, or communication and dialogue between technical agencies is achievable and best advances the economic and national security interests of the United States; (2) multilateral coordination and collaboration where greater regulatory coherence, harmonization of standards, or dialogue on other relevant regulatory matters is achievable and best advances the economic and national security interests of the United States, including with the members of— (A) the European Union; (B) the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation; (C) the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); (D) the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD); (E) the Pacific Alliance; and (F) multilateral development banks; and (3) regulatory practices and standards-setting bodies focused on key economic sectors and emerging technologies. (c) Participation by nongovernmental entities With regard to the program described in subsection (a), the Secretary may facilitate the participation of relevant organizations and individuals with relevant expertise, as appropriate and to the extent that such participation advances the goals of such program. (d) Rule of Construction The authorities provided by this section are intended solely to provide United States embassy and related Department support for dialogues which may occur outside the United States, on a strictly voluntary basis and as agreed to by the relevant United States Federal department or agency with their foreign counterparts, and are not intended to obligate in any way the participation of any other Federal department or agency in such dialogues.