Last night, the House voted to pass legislation to extend the duty-free preferences for four Andean nations (Columbia, Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador) for eight months. This measure must pass through the Senate by June 30, 2007, when the Andean trade preferences (ATPA) are set to expire, in order to create certainty and avoid severe disruption in trade. In the final days of the 109th Congress, lawmakers extended duty-free benefits for Andean countries until June 30, 2007.
“ATPA is one of the most effective tools that the United States has in fighting the war on drugs in Latin America,” said Conaway. “These preferences provide citizens of the beneficiary countries, particularly Columbia, with a stable and long term alternative to narcotics trafficking, illegal immigration and other criminal activities. Extension of the ATPA will continue to offer American consumers with easier access to items and allow duty-free entry of American manufactured products. It is imperative that the U.S. maintain support for this region and continue to back the excellent work that President Alvaro Uribe has done thus far.”
Alvaro Uribe was re-elected as Colombia's president in May 2006. President Uribe has worked diligently to tackle Colombia's armed groups and drug-traffickers and is one of America’s staunchest allies in Latin America.
Conaway went on to say, “While these preferences continue to move us in the right direction, they are still no substitute for the pending trade pacts with Colombia and Peru. These pacts, if agreed to, would provide far more extensive benefits to farmers, textile manufacturers and companies in the United States, as well as in Colombia and Peru. Goods that would be imported under the agreements generally do not compete directly with U.S. products. We must work diligently in the coming months to consider and pass these trade agreements.”
Congress currently has pending pacts with Peru, Panama, and Columbia for consideration. A vote on the Peru agreement could be scheduled as early as July.
