Washington, DC – NFTC Vice President for Global Trade Issues Jake Colvin released the following statement in response to reports that negotiators in Geneva failed to advance the Trade Facilitation Agreement:
“Failure to advance the Trade Facilitation Agreement as promised would do lasting damage to the multilateral trading system.
“It is ironic that the very same countries who criticize exclusive trade negotiating groups, like the Trans-Pacific Partnership and Trade in Services Agreement, the loudest seem ready to ensure that those smaller groupings are the only viable paths forward for trade negotiators.
“While we hold out hope that the agreement will advance by unanimous consent prior to the July deadline set in Bali, we would urge negotiators of the overwhelming majority of countries who are committed to the Trade Facilitation Agreement and to improving economic development through the global trading system to engineer a path forward that salvages the credibility of the World Trade Organization.”
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