Emergency Committee For American Trade

ECAT Urges the Renewal of the Andean Preferences for Cololmbia and Peru, Not Ecuador and Bolivia

News Release For Immediate Release

November 17, 2009 Contact: Marc Fricchione

202.659.5147

ECAT Urges Renewal of Andean Trade Preference Program for Colombia and Peru

Urges Congress Not To Reward Ecuador and Bolivia

Washington, D.C., November 17, 2009: Calman J. Cohen, President of the Emergency Committee for American Trade (ECAT), issued the following comments in conjunction with ECAT’s statement to the Trade Subcommittee of the House Committee on Ways and Means for its hearing on trade preferences:

“ECAT strongly supports the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA), which has produced important economic opportunities and diversification in the Andean region and strong economic relationships between the United States and Peru and Colombia. While ECAT very much wants to see a stronger, more reciprocal relationship with Colombia through the passage and entry-into-force of the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement as quickly as possible, ECAT strongly supports the continuation of ATPA benefits to Colombia and Peru and the continued extension of the ATPA program for these countries by Congress.

“The Andean trade preferences should not, however, be automatically extended to countries such as Ecuador and Bolivia that have turned their back on the basic rule of law. As documented by Transparency International, the State Department and the World Bank, corruption, denial of justice and the lack of an independent judiciary are among Ecuador’s many systemic problems. And the situation has deteriorated during the last year. For Bolivia, the situation is no better than when Congress withdrew benefits last year.

“Given these major gaps in the rule of law, ECAT urges Congress to look closely at denying ATPA benefits entirely to Ecuador, suspending those benefits or, at a minimum, ensuring that the Administration has the tools to prevent Ecuador’s government from benefiting from any ATPA renewal. Bolivia’s benefits should not be reinstated.”

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Founded in 1967, ECAT is an organization of the heads of leading U.S. international business enterprises representing all major sectors of the American economy. Their annual worldwide sales exceed $2.7 trillion and they employ more than 6.4 million persons. ECAT’s purpose is to promote economic growth through the expansion of international trade and investment.

Attached Document(s): 11-17-09 ECAT Release on ATPA Renewal.pdf
11-17-09 ECAT Statement on ATPA Renewal.pdf