Other Agreements
U.S.-AUSTRALIA FREE TRADE AGREEMENT
CSI has been an active supporter of the negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the United States and Australia. Two-way trade has grown significantly in the past decade, totaling more than $19 billion in 2001. The increased access to Australia’s market that an FTA would provide would further boost trade in both goods and services, enhancing employment opportunities in both countries. An FTA also would encourage additional foreign investment between the United States and Australia, adding to the many jobs that the significant investment flows between the two countries currently support.
Negotiations on the US-Australia Free Trade Agreement concluded on February 8, 2004, and the official notification of the agreement was sent to the Congress on February 13. The agreement was signed in Washington on May 18, 2004, and Congressional consideration occurres at the end of July 2004. To see the final text of the agreement, click here. To see the USTR fact sheet on the agreement, click here.
Recent Documents and Activities
May 18, 2004: U.S.-Australia FTA to Open New Opportunities for US Service Sector.
May, 2004: U.S.-Australia FTA: Benefits for the US Service Industry, May 2004.
March 15, 2004: Trade advisory groups report on U.S.-Australia FTA.
February 9, 2004: U.S.-Australia FTA Opens Services Opportunities, Raises Investment Concerns.
February 8, 2004: U.S. and Australia Conclude FTA Talks.
January 30, 2004: Letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick on Investment Objectives.
January 15, 2003: Statement on Australia to the U.S. Trade Policy Review Group.
December, 2002: CSI Guidebook on Services Priorities for the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement.
U.S.-BAHRAIN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT
The U.S. and Bahrain announced negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in January 2004, and negotiations were completed on May 27, 2004. The White House sent its notification to Congress of its intent to sign the agreement on June 15, 2004, and the agreement was signed in September. The agreement was approved in the US House of Representatives by a vote of 327-95 on December 7, 2005, and was approved by voice vote in the Senate the following day. The agreement entered into force on August 1, 2006. To see the final text of the agreement, click here. To see the USTR fact sheet on the agreement, click here. To see the private sector advisory committee reports on the agreement, click here.
Recent Documents and Activities
July 19, 2004: Advisory Group Reports.
May 27, 2004: CSI Welcomes U.S.-Bahrain FTA.
U.S.-CHILE FREE TRADE AGREEMENT
The Coalition of Service Industries was an active supporter of the U.S.-Chile FTA, which was the first comprehensive trade agreement between the United States and a South American country. The agreement was approved by a strong majority in both houses of Congress in July of 2003, and went into effect the following January. To see the final text of the agreement, click here. To see the USTR fact sheet on the agreement, click here.
Recent Documents and Activities
February 27, 2003: U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Advisory Committee Reports.
December 11, 2002: CSI Calls Chile-US Trade Agreement a "Milestone".
U.S.-MALAYSIA FREE TRADE AGREEMENT
The United States and Malaysia announced negotiations on a free trade agreement on March 8, 2006. Initial rounds of negotiations were held in June and July of 2006, with a third round scheduled for September 2006. Two-way trade between the US and Malaysia was more than $44 billion in 2005, but crossborder trade in services accounts for only a small portion of this. There is clearly tremendous room for growth in this area.
CSI supports the negotiations, and will be actively engaged to ensure that the services provisions of the agreement maintain the high standards of previous US FTAs, and address the priorities of the US service sector. For a copy of CSI's press release on the launch of negotiations, click here.
To see the USTR fact sheet on the agreement, click here. For the US-Malaysia Free Trade Agreement Coalition home page, click here.
Recent Documents and Activities
May 12, 2006: CSI submits written testimony on the US FTA with Malaysia to the USTR Trade Policy Staff Committee.
April 12-13, 2006: CSI leads mission to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
April 12, 2006: U.S. Service industry asks for Malaysian leadership in WTO services negotiations.
March 8, 2006: CSI expresses its strong support for a free trade agreement between the United States and Malaysia.
USTR Fact Sheet: Economic and Strategic Benefits
U.S. - OMAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT
On November 15, 2004, the Administration notified Congressional leaders of its intent to negotiate Free Trade Agreements with the UAE and Oman, important steps on the path to fulfilling President Bush’s initiative to advance economic reforms in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf and to establish a Middle East Free Trade Area (MEFTA) by 2013.
The agreement with Oman was signed on January 19, 2006. It was approved in the US Senate on June 29, 2006 by a vote of 60-34. Three weeks later, it was approved in the House of Representatives by a narrow margin of 221-205. It was signed into law by President Bush on September 26, 2006.
Recent Documents and Activities
For the text of the agreement, click here.
To see the private sector advisory committee reports on the agreement, click here.
U.S. - PERU FREE TRADE AGREEMENT
Free Trade Agreement negotiations with Peru were announced as part of the US-Andean FTA negotiations, launched in November of 2003. Negotiations were finalized in December 2005, and on January 6, 2006, President Bush notified the US Congress of intent to enter into an FTA with Peru. The timing for US Congressional consideration of the agreement is unclear. The Peruvian Congress approved the agreement in June 2006.
For a copy of the agreement, click here. For private sector advisory committee reports on the agreement, click here.
Recent Documents and Activities
July 18, 2007: Peru FTA Services Highlights.
July 12, 2006: Testimony and witnesses from a House Ways and Means Committee hearing on the agreement.
March 17, 2004: CSI statement to the Trade Policy Staff Committee on the Proposed U.S.-Andean FTA.
November 18, 2003: CSI Applauds Launch of US-Andean FTA Discussions.
Guidebook on services priorities for the US-Andean Free Trade Agreement.
U.S.-SINGAPORE FREE TRADE AGREEMENT
The U.S.-Singapore free trade agreement (FTA) begun negotiations on November 16, 2000. The first round of negotiations was held that year, in Washington, DC, December 4-21. The final round was in Singapore, November 11-17 2002, and the Agreement was concluded on January 15, 2003. In services, the U.S.-Singapore FTA provides the broadest possible trade liberalization. Singapore will treat U.S. services suppliers as well as its own suppliers. To see the final text of the agreement, click here. To see the USTR fact sheet on the agreement, click here.
Recent Documents and Activities
November 20, 2003: CSI Statement Commending the U.S. and Singaporean governments on the Agreement.
June 7, 2002: CSI Comments on Singapore Data Protection Code.
December 15, 2000: Letter to USTR Barshefsky on U.S.-Singapore FTA Negotiations. CSI shares its initial views on the negotiations for a free trade agreement with Singapore.
December 11, 2000: Repeal of Ad Valorem Duty in Singapore FTA.
U.S.-THAILAND FREE TRADE AGREEMENT
Negotiations on a US-Thailand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) were announced in October 2003. Protracted negotiations over the following 2 ½ years failed to bridge some fundamental differences on core issues in the agreement, including services and IPR. The already-difficult negotiations were suspended in early 2006 due to political turmoil in Thailand. The negotiations will likely remain on hold until late 2006 at the earliest, as another round of elections in Thailand are to be held on October 15, 2006. Given the expiration of U.S. Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) in mid-2007, this seriously calls into question the likelihood that a deal can be completed in time to be considered under TPA procedures – unless a TPA extension can be agreed.
For more on the US-Thailand FTA negotiations, click here. For the US-Thailand FTA Coalition home page, click here.
Recent Documents and Activities
March 30, 2004: Coalition of Service Industries Statement on the US-Thailand FTA to the Trade Policy Staff Committee.