Washington DC – The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) today welcomed the Obama Administration’s announcement on the resolution of labor-related issues standing in the way of approval of the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The “Action Plan Related to Labor Rights,” which was agreed upon by both governments, will pave the way for Congressional consideration of the FTA in the coming months.
“We applaud U.S. and Colombian negotiators for working together to resolve these outstanding issues over the past many weeks. This agreement was inked more than four years ago, and we welcome today’s announcement of a clear path and timeline toward approval,” said NFTC President Bill Reinsch. “Colombia has long been a vitally important strategic ally in the region and a key export market for U.S. companies and agricultural producers. Implementation of the Colombia FTA will further strengthen our longstanding bilateral economic ties and help to promote export growth and job creation.”
“Colombia is a crucial market for U.S. goods and services, and today’s announcement brings us one step closer to ensuring that the United States will remain competitive there,” said NFTC Vice President for Regional Trade Initiatives Chuck Dittrich. “With other countries, namely Canada, working to implement agreements with Colombia over the next few months, we are encouraged that the Administration has taken the necessary steps to move the FTA forward as soon as possible this year. Achieving today’s milestone is a significant accomplishment for both nations and symbolizes the importance of our economic and diplomatic relationship.”
“As the Administration works with the Colombian Government to achieve the goals laid out in the Action Plan, and to submit the implementing legislation in the coming months, we look forward to working with Congress to ratify the FTA as soon as possible,” Reinsch concluded.
About NFTC
Advancing Global Commerce for Nearly A Century – The National Foreign Trade Council (www.nftc.org) is a leading business organization advocating an open, rules-based global trading system. Founded in 1914 by a broad-based group of American companies, the NFTC now serves hundreds of member companies through its offices in Washington and New York.
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