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U.S. trade and labor officials traveled to Colombia last week to meet with government officials and labor representatives to assess the country’s compliance with commitments outlined in the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement.
House Ways & Means trade subcommittee Chairman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) this week raised the possibility of initiating a Section 301 investigation into Colombian labor practices, while other members of his caucus also called on the administration to take action.
Potential Panamanian customers are also a target for more than 50 companies and business groups headed to Bogotá.
After meeting with Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, Colombian President Iván Duque said on Sunday that the U.S. and Colombia should bolster bilateral trade relations via a “more innovative agenda.”
Following meetings with President Trump and lawmakers in Washington, DC this week, Colombian President Iván Duque said his country intends to export more to the U.S. market and buy more U.S. products, as well as improve the existing bilateral agreement between the two countries.
The signing of the law completes a process that began several years ago, despite U.S. concerns trade concerns.
The secretary of State and Colombian President Iván Duque discussed how to eliminate trade barriers, boost U.S. agricultural exports.
The op-ed says several countries “are abusing compulsory licensing laws, which allow domestic manufacturers to infringe on foreign inventors' patents to create copycat products.”
Colombia committed in April to update the U.S. every 60 days on commitments the country has made to avoid losing some benefits under the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement.
Following meetings between trade officials from Bogota and Washington last week, the U.S. extended the deadline for Colombia to terminate a controversial truck-scrapping program by six months, according to Colombian press reports and sources familiar with the meetings.
The U.S. could suspend some benefits under its free trade agreement with Colombia if a truck-scrapping program is not terminated by the end of December, according to sources and documents.
“The policy of President Iván Duque is the following: He is not going to negotiate a new trade agreement.”
Trade officials from Washington and Bogota met this week to review the implementation of the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement, with the U.S flagging “issues of concern” similar to those it raised during Colombia’s accession to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
“What I want is that we diversify products, bring more investment and improve the 'phytosanitary diplomacy.' We managed to get mango and avocado to the USA. but you have to open the door to more products.”
The U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement tops a list of Latin American deals the Trump administration plans to re-open, Inside U.S. Trade has learned.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, in its annual Special 301 report on the state of intellectual property protection and enforcement by U.S. trading partners, has elevated Canada and Colombia to its list of most egregious intellectual property violators and also spotlighted continued IP concerns it has with China.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Trade Committee this week decided to indefinitely postpone a vote to approve Colombia’s accession into the group, according to industry sources and Colombian press reports.