Statement of Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez on Today’s House Passage of the Andean Trade Preferences Act

SAN JOSE DEL CABO, MEXICO—Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez today released the following statement regarding the extension of the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA), which passed by a voice vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“Today, the House of Representatives extended the Andean Trade Preference Act, allowing several South American nations, including Colombia, continued duty-free access to the U.S. market for a wide range of products. For the last 16 years, Congress has kept the U.S. market open to Colombian products while U.S. goods and agriculture still face duties upon entering the Colombian market.

“ATPA is an important tool to expand rule of law and combat poverty in the region, but Congress has another valuable tool available that will further those goals—the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA). Now is the time to graduate our economic relationship from one-way trade preferences to a permanent full reciprocal partnership by taking the next step and approving the U.S.-Colombia TPA. This Agreement will remove barriers to U.S. workers and farmers while deepening Colombia’s democratic principles that offer real hope and opportunity to Colombians, as well as throughout the region.”

Gutierrez is in Mexico this week for the U.S.-Mexico: Building Partnership in Infrastructure Conference, hosted by the U.S. Commerce Department and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency in Mexico City. He will also meet with his Mexican and Canadian counterparts at the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP) Ministerial in San Jose del Cabo.