6 Reps Want Colombia to Meet 9 Benchmarks for FTA, but Support ATPDEA
On March 17, 2011, six Democratic Representatives, including the Chairman of the House Trade Working Group (which describes itself as against “unfair trade deals”), sent President Obama a letter and memo listing nine benchmarks that the lawmakers see as necessary for Colombia to meet before the U.S. considers ratifying its free trade agreement.
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The Representatives1 recommend that the Colombian Government (i) demonstrate a dramatic and sustained decrease from current levels in murders and attacks against trade unionists so that all murders have ceased; (ii) revise Colombian labor law to explicitly provide for the full range of rights contained in the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work; and (iii) reconstitute the Ministry of Labor and provide consistent and sufficient funding to carry out its functions.
In their letter, the six also recommended a two-year extension of the Andean Trade Preference Act/Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act (ATPA/ATPDEA).
1Representative Michaud (D) is Chairman of the House Trade Working Group. Joining him on the letter are Representatives Miller (D), McGovern (D), DeLauro (D), Schakowsky (D), and Sánchez (D). Most of the signatories have also announced their opposition to the U.S.-Korea FTA (KORUS FTA). (See ITT’s Online Archives or 03/17/11 news, 11031703, for summary of their opposition to the KORUS FTA.)
(See ITT’s Online Archives or 03/18/11 news, 11031810, for BP summary of recent House Trade Subcommittee hearing on the U.S.-Colombia FTA. See ITT’s Online Archives or 03/11/11 news, 11031110, for BP summary of Senate Finance leaders’ request for technical discussions to begin on Colombia and Panama FTA bills. See ITT’s Online Archives or 03/22/11 news, 11032142, for BP summary announcing that U.S.-Colombia FTA discussions were held on March 17-19, 2011.)