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For more information or assistance please contact the WTCBN by email at
info@wtcbn.com, by phone at
1.716.852.7160 or toll-free at 1.877.WTC.INTL (U.S./Canada).
Andean Free Trade Agreement (AFTA)
In May of 2004, the Bush Administration began
direct negotiations with Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador, with Bolivia
participating as an observer, to form the Andean Free Trade Agreement.
The agreement (if accepted) would replace the current unilateral
preference program operating under the 2002 Andean Trade Promotion and
Drug Eradication Act (ATPDEA). If approved, AFTA would level the playing
field for U.S. producers, as Andean producers already enjoy preferential
status in the U.S.
For more information regarding AFTA please refer to
the following source:
http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agreements/Bilateral/CAFTA/Archive_Section_index/Section_Index.html
Australia-U.S.
Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA)
Effective January 1, 2005, the Australia-U.S. free
trade agreement (AUSFTA) was the first U.S. FTA with a developed nation
since 1988. The AUSFTA featured elimination of 99% of manufacturing
sector tariffs at inception; this is the most significant reduction of
any U.S. FTA.
For more information regarding AUSFTA please refer
to the following source:
http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agreements/Bilateral/Australia_FTA/Section_Index.html
Central American and Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA)
Passed in July of 2005, the Dominican
Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) is essentially an
upgrade upon the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI), creating free trade
between the U.S., Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras,
Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic.
For more information regarding CAFTA please refer
to the following source:
http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agreements/Bilateral/CAFTA/Section_Index.html
U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement
On Jan. 1, 2004, 90% of U.S. exports to Chile and
95% of Chilean export to the U.S. became duty free, as the U.S. and
Chile entered into the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement.
For more information regarding the U.S.-Chile FTA
please refer to the following source:
http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agreements/Bilateral/Chile_FTA/Section_Index.html
U.S.-Israel Free Trade Agreement
The United States and Israel entered into the
U.S.-Israel Free Trade Agreement on September 1, 1985, with all eligible
importations and exportations granted duty free treatment as of January
1, 1995. The agreement does provide both nations the ability to protect
sensitive agricultural sectors with non-tariff protections.
For more information regarding the U.S.-Israel Free
Trade Agreement please refer to the following source:
http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agreements/Bilateral/Israel/Section_Index.html
U.S.-Jordan Free Trade Agreement
The United States and Jordan entered into the
U.S.-Jordan free trade agreement in December of 2001. The agreement
outlines a timeline for tariff removal scheduled for completion in 2010,
although 83% of tariffs on U.S. import have already been eliminated.
For more information regarding the U.S.-Jordan Free
Trade Agreement please refer to the following source:
http://www.buyusa.gov/jordan/en/
U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement
In June of 2004 the U.S. and Morocco signed the
U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement, continuing the longest U.S.
continuous treaty relationship. The FTA eliminated 95 percent of all
bi-lateral goods tariffs at inception, with the remaining tariffs
scheduled for reduction over 9 years.
For more information regarding the U.S.-Morocco
Free Trade Agreement please refer to the following source:
http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agreements/Bilateral/Morocco_FTA/Section_Index.html
U.S.-Panama Free Trade Agreement
On April 26, 2004, the U.S. and Panamanian
governments began negotiations on the U.S.-Panama Free Trade Agreement.
These negotiations are currently ongoing and have completed several
successful rounds. The agreement seeks to liberalize trade between the
U.S. and Panama, leveling the playing field for U.S. business, while
creating opportunity and cooperation for both nations.
For more information regarding the U.S.-Panama Free
Trade Agreement please refer to the following source:
http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agreements/Bilateral/Panama_FTA/Section_Index.html
U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement
On January 1, 2004, the United States entered its
first free trade agreement with an Asian nation when the U.S.-Singapore
FTA took effect. The FTA eliminated import tariffs on all U.S. products
at its inception, while duties on products from Singapore will be phased
out, on a variable schedule, over a 10 year period.
For more information regarding the U.S.-Singapore
Free Trade Agreement please refer to the following source:
http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agreements/Bilateral/Singapore_FTA/Section_Index.html
North American
Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
Effective January 1, 1994, the North American Free
Trade Agreement (NAFTA) immediately ended tariffs on the majority of
goods produced by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. It also schedules the
gradual elimination, over a period of 15 years, of most remaining
barriers to cross-border investment and to the movement of goods and
services within the FTA territory. In order to take advantage of these
benefits products must meet certification, labeling, and rules of origin
requirements.
For more information regarding NAFTA please refer
to the following sources:
U.S. International Trade Administration is the
official U.S. government website provides information on NAFTA. This
site also features an interactive tool for assistance completing
certificates of origin.
http://www.export.gov/fta/NAFTA/index.asp?dName=NAFTA
U.S. Trade Representative – NAFTA information site
is a government website providing facts and figures about NAFTA, as well
as links to other NAFTA resources.
http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agreements/Regional/NAFTA/Section_Index.html
U.S. Customs and Border Protection – NAFTA site
offering facts about NAFTA and requirements that products must meet. The
site also offers a listing of recent directives.
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/trade_programs/international_agreements/free_trade/nafta/
Canadian Free Trade Agreements
Canada also has trade agreements with many
countries that may impact the cost of doing business between Canada and
the rest of the world. For an overview of these trade agreements refer
below:
Canadian Free Trade Agreements
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/tna-nac/reg-en.asp |
