U.S. Provides Colombia with Labor Rights Proposal

Tweet

March 29, 2011

Colombia

 

U.S. and Colombian officials met March 17-20, 2011, to discuss the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement, during which time United States officials provided Colombian officials with a detailed proposal on labor rights issues. The Obama Administration wants Colombia to address these labor rights issues before it will send the Colombia FTA to the U.S. Congress. The proposal identifies issues the Obama Administration wants addressed and details the methods and resources needed to implement them in a manner consistent with the Administration’s standards. Colombian officials have returned to Bogota to discuss the proposal, but are expected to return to the United States to continue negotiations. Talks are expected to resume soon, and may recommence as early as today or tomorrow.   

The proposal shortly follows intense pressure by members of Congress on the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the Obama Administration to provide detailed steps for Colombia to follow that would allow for the Colombia FTA to be submitted to Congress. Numerous members of Congress, including Congressman Kevin Brady (R-TX), have been pushing for submission of the Colombia FTA before July 1, 2011, when a free trade agreement between Colombia and Canada goes into force. At the March 17, 2011, House Ways and Means trade subcommittee hearing, Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Miriam Sapiro reiterated the Obama Administration’s stance that Colombia must address three labor-related issues before the Obama Administration will submit the FTA to Congress. These three issues are the protection of internationally-recognized labor rights, prevention of violence against labor leaders and the prosecution of perpetrators of such violence.

Panama FTA

According to Ambassador Sapiro, significant progress has been made on the Panama Free Trade Agreement. United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk met with Vice President Varela of Panama February 10, 2011, and Deputy Ambassador Sapiro met with Vice Minister Alvarez De Soto in late February. During the March 17 House Ways and Means trade subcommittee hearing on the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement, Ambassador Sapiro testified that the United States and Panama had reached an agreement on the remaining steps Panama must take in order to resolve U.S. concerns over labor laws and tax transparency issues in Panama.  Once these steps have been taken, the agreement will be ready for Congressional consideration.

The House Ways and Means trade subcommittee is scheduled to hold a hearing regarding the Panama FTA on March 30, 2011, to address the benefits the Panama FTA would bring to the U.S. Economy, as well as national security and geopolitical implications, and tax transparency issues.

Korea FTA

During the March 9, 2011 Senate Finance Committee Hearing on President Obama’s Trade Agenda, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk announced that the US-Korea FTA is ready for Congressional consideration. Passage of the Korea FTA is still being delayed by disputes over the Colombia and Panama Free Trade Agreements.   Reauthorization of the General System of Preferences (GSP), the Andean Trade Preferences Act (ATPA), and Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) have also all been delayed by numerous Congress members’ refusal to move trade legislation until the Colombia and Panama Free Trade Agreements are submitted for consideration.