2月4日，太平洋伙伴關(guān)系協(xié)定(TPP)12個成員國在新西蘭奧克蘭市正式簽署協(xié)定。12個成員國將有兩年時間來完全接納協(xié)定內(nèi)容。這一協(xié)議對小企業(yè)至關(guān)重要。

我們知道，小企業(yè)的發(fā)展不能僅僅依靠消費(fèi)者光顧，還要靠我們發(fā)揚(yáng)愛國主義熱情，幫助他們進(jìn)軍海外市場。

實(shí)際上，小企業(yè)是美國經(jīng)濟(jì)的頂梁柱。近幾十年，小企業(yè)貢獻(xiàn)了美國私人部門近三分之二的新增就業(yè)崗位。小企業(yè)也是重要的創(chuàng)新者，每名小企業(yè)員工創(chuàng)造的平均專利數(shù)，超過大型企業(yè)員工16倍。更好的消息是，相較于沒有出口業(yè)務(wù)的小企業(yè)，從事出口業(yè)務(wù)的小企業(yè)的銷售額更大，創(chuàng)造的工作機(jī)會更多，為員工支付的工資要比前者高出18%。

這些統(tǒng)計數(shù)據(jù)背后的故事更加令人印象深刻。比如，位于華盛頓州皮阿拉市的西北門業(yè)公司主要生產(chǎn)車庫門，其產(chǎn)品遠(yuǎn)銷世界各地。自2014年以來，這家公司向太平洋地區(qū)的出口額增長了50%。在原有245人的基礎(chǔ)上，該公司又招聘了不少員工。

在未來若干年，隨著亞洲經(jīng)濟(jì)實(shí)力的持續(xù)增長，像西北門業(yè)這類美國小企業(yè)的出口額也將隨之增長。到2030年，亞洲的中產(chǎn)消費(fèi)者預(yù)計將占全球中產(chǎn)消費(fèi)者的三分之二。西北門業(yè)董事長杰夫?霍曼告訴我：“我們發(fā)現(xiàn)，隨著亞洲中產(chǎn)階級的崛起，美國的創(chuàng)新產(chǎn)品將迎來光明的出口前景，西北門業(yè)肯定不會錯過這種機(jī)遇。”

另一個鼓舞人心的例子是堪薩斯州威奇托市的先鋒氣球公司。80多年來，這家公司一直在生產(chǎn)高質(zhì)量氣球，其中逾半數(shù)銷量來自出口。先鋒氣球公司認(rèn)為，出口是其持續(xù)擴(kuò)張的關(guān)鍵所在，，同時也有助于在美國國內(nèi)招聘和留住人才。因此，要想幫助這類小企業(yè)獲得成功，我們就必須把目光瞄準(zhǔn)國際市場。

通過TPP，我們可以給這些“就業(yè)崗位創(chuàng)造者”一個公平的機(jī)會，助推它們進(jìn)軍全球市場。

就現(xiàn)狀來看，美國已經(jīng)是全世界最開放的經(jīng)濟(jì)體之一。但國外市場則是一幅完全不同的圖景，美國的工人與美國企業(yè)往往處于不利地位。目前，美國出口商品被征收的平均關(guān)稅是美國進(jìn)口商品平均關(guān)稅的兩倍。以先鋒氣球公司為例，該公司向11個TPP簽約國出口貨物時被征收20%的關(guān)稅。西北門業(yè)繳納的關(guān)稅更是高達(dá)25%。

外國關(guān)稅和法律法規(guī)給美國的小企業(yè)造成了極為沉重的壓力。很多小企業(yè)不像大企業(yè)那樣擁有足夠的資源去弄明白復(fù)雜的外國法律法規(guī)。這就是為什么只有不到5%的美國小企業(yè)從事商品出口。換句話說，超過95%的美國小企業(yè)錯過了全世界95%的客戶。

這就是為什么TPP對于支持中小企業(yè)發(fā)展十分重要。在整整一代人的時間里，TPP是針對美國出口商品減稅幅度最大的一次貿(mào)易協(xié)定，它砍掉了美國工人制造的、美國農(nóng)民種植的、美國創(chuàng)新者創(chuàng)造的1.8萬余種商品的關(guān)稅。通過砍掉這些外國稅款，TPP將幫助西北門業(yè)和先鋒氣球等小企業(yè)出口更多商品，并在美國國內(nèi)創(chuàng)造更多高薪就業(yè)機(jī)會。另外，隨著各國關(guān)稅規(guī)則和程序在TPP框架下變得更加簡化和透明（這也是小企業(yè)進(jìn)行海外擴(kuò)張的最大阻礙之一），小企業(yè)的出口產(chǎn)品也能更容易地到達(dá)客戶手上。

作為一個貿(mào)易協(xié)定，TPP的特別之處還在于它首次專門拿出一個章節(jié)來解決小企業(yè)面臨的諸多挑戰(zhàn)。比如，它要求簽約國建立專為小企業(yè)服務(wù)的公共網(wǎng)站，以傳播TPP信息，并告知企業(yè)如何利用這些信息。另外，TPP還專門建立了一個委員會，研究小企業(yè)如何能夠利用TPP，并討論相關(guān)建議。

最讓小企業(yè)興奮的是，TPP將大力支持電子貿(mào)易和電子商務(wù)的發(fā)展。互聯(lián)網(wǎng)是眾多小企業(yè)連接全球市場的主要渠道，而TPP將繼續(xù)致力于保持互聯(lián)網(wǎng)的開放與自由。比如，有些國家要求進(jìn)入本國市場的外國企業(yè)必須在本地設(shè)置機(jī)構(gòu)，而TPP則使企業(yè)避免付出這種高昂成本。

購物季讓大家認(rèn)識到小企業(yè)為經(jīng)濟(jì)所做的貢獻(xiàn)。但我們的小企業(yè)應(yīng)得的不僅僅是一天的獎勵，而是一個星期，甚至一個月。通過TPP，我們可以讓小企業(yè)獲得未來在全球經(jīng)濟(jì)中決勝所需的工具。我們可以幫助它們把“小企業(yè)星期六”變成“小企業(yè)世紀(jì)”。（譯注：“小企業(yè)星期六”是美國的一個購物節(jié)日，通常在感恩節(jié)后的第一個星期六。）(財富中文網(wǎng))

本文作者M(jìn)ichael Froman是美國貿(mào)易代表。

譯者：樸成奎

審校：任文科

We should resolve to help America’s small businesses not only with our patronage at home, but also with our patriotism abroad.

It’s no secret that small businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy. They account for nearly two-thirds of net new private sector jobs in recent decades. They are major innovators, producing 16 times more patents per employee than large patenting firms. Better yet, small businesses that export sell more, support more jobs, and pay up to 18% higher wages than small businesses that don’t export.

Even more impressive than these statistics are the stories behind them. Take Northwest Door, which produces garage doors in in Puyallup, Wash. and sells them to customers around the world. Since last year, its exports to the Pacific Region have increased 50%, helping the company grow its 245-person workforce.

As Asia’s economic strength grows in the coming years, so could exports from small businesses like Northwest Door. By 2030, Asia is projected to be home to two-thirds of the world’s middle-class consumers. As Northwest Door President Jeff Hohman told me, “We’ve found that with the emerging middle class and the value of American ingenuity and products, there are opportunities for Northwest Door to export.”

Another inspiring example is Pioneer Balloon Company of Wichita, Kan., which has been manufacturing high-quality balloons for more than 80 years. With more than 50% of its sales coming from exports, the company sees export growth as critical to its ability to expand, in addition to being instrumental in the hiring and retention of jobs here at home. However, to help Pioneer and other American small businesses succeed, we need to level the playing field overseas.

Through the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), we can give these local job creators a fair shot at competing in global markets.

As it stands, the U.S. economy is already among the most open in the world. But the picture looks very different abroad, where the situation is too often tilted against American workers and businesses. Currently, average tariffs on American exports to other countries are twice as high as the average tariff we place on foreign imports to the U.S. Pioneer Balloon, for example, faces foreign taxes on U.S. exports as high as 20% in the 11 other countries now signed on to the TPP. Northwest Door faces 25% taxes on its exports.

These foreign taxes and regulations take an especially heavy toll on America’s small businesses. Unlike larger companies, many small businesses lack the resources to navigate complex foreign regulations. That’s one reason why less than 5% of all American small businesses export goods. In other words, more than 95% of our small businesses are missing out on 95% of the world’s customers.

That’s why the TPP is essential to supporting our small businesses. It’s the largest tax cut on American exports in a generation, slashing over 18,000 individual taxes on the products American manufacturers make, American farmers grow, and American innovators create. By cutting those foreign taxes, the TPP will help small businesses like Northwest Door and Pioneer Balloon Company export and support more high-paying American jobs. And by simplifying and making more transparent customs rules and procedures—which are some of the most daunting obstacles for small businesses to expand abroad—the TPP will help ensure that their products more easily make it to their customers.

The TPP is the first trade agreement to have a chapter dedicated to addressing many of the challenges faced by small businesses. That includes, for example, requiring countries to create public websites targeted at small businesses that provide easily accessible information on the agreement and how to take advantage of it. The agreement also establishes a committee to review how small businesses are taking advantage of the TPP and discuss recommendations.

Among the TPP’s most exciting features for small businesses are its provisions promoting digital trade and e-commerce. The Internet is the primary avenue for many small businesses to access the global marketplace, and the TPP will help keep it open and free. For example, it protects against costly requirements that would force businesses to locate infrastructure in the markets in which they seek to operate.

Those shopping-day are opportunities to recognize our small businesses for their contributions to our economy. But our small businesses deserve more than a day, a week, or even a month. Through the TPP, we can give our small businesses the tools they need to win in tomorrow’s global economy. We can help turn Small Business Saturday into a Small Business Century.

Michael Froman is the U.S. Trade Representative.