Free Trade Area of the Americas

The Free Trade Area of the Americas or FTAA (in Spanish: Área de Libre Comercio de las Américas, ALCA; in French: Zone de libre-échange des Amériques, ZLEA; in Portuguese: Área de Livre Comércio das Américas, ALCA) is a proposed agreement to eliminate or reduce trade barriers among all States in the Western Hemisphere except Cuba. In the latest round of negotiations, officials of 34 nations met in Miami on November 16, 2003 to discuss the proposal. The proposed agreement is modeled after the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Related Topics:
Spanish - French - Portuguese - State - Western Hemisphere - Cuba - Miami - November 16 - 2003 - North American Free Trade Agreement - Canada - Mexico - United States

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Discussions have faltered over similar points as the Doha round of World Trade Organization (WTO) talks; developed nations seek expanded trade in services and increased intellectual property rights, while less developed nations seek an end to agricultural subsidies and freer trade in agricultural goods. Similar to the WTO talks, Brazil has taken a leadership role among the less developed nations, while the United States has taken a similar role for the developed nations.

Related Topics:
Doha round - World Trade Organization - Services - Intellectual property - Agricultural subsidies - Brazil

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Talks began with the Summit of the Americas in Miami on December 11, 1994, but the FTAA came to public attention during the Quebec City Summit of the Americas in 2001, a meeting targeted by massive anti-corporatization and anti-globalization protests. The Miami negotiations in 2003 met similar protests, though perhaps not as large.

Related Topics:
Summit of the Americas - Miami - December 11 - 1994 - Quebec City Summit of the Americas - 2001 - Anti-corporatization - Anti-globalization - 2003

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In previous negotiations, the United States has pushed for a single comprehensive agreement to reduce trade barriers for goods, while increasing intellectual property protection. Specific intellectual property protections could include Digital Millennium Copyright Act-style copyright protections, similar to the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement. Another protection would likely restrict the reimportation or cross-importation of pharmaceuticals, similar to the proposed agreement between the U.S. and Canada.

Related Topics:
Digital Millennium Copyright Act - U.S.-Australia

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Brazil has proposed a measured, three-track approach that calls for a series of bilateral agreements to reduce specific tariffs on goods, and a hemispheric pact on rules of origin and dispute resolution processes. Brazil seeks to omit the more controversial issues from the agreement, leaving them to the WTO.

Related Topics:
Brazil - Rules of origin

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The location of the FTAA Secretariat is to be determined in 2005. The main contending cities are Miami, Florida and Port-of-Spain, capital of Trinidad and Tobago. Twenty-one of the thirty-four total states so far have pledged a vote and support for it to be based in Port-of-Spain.

Related Topics:
2005 - Port-of-Spain - Trinidad and Tobago

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The Free Trade Area of the Americas agreement is also under a perceived increase in competition from an up-start trade agreement called the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA). The ALBA Free Trade agreement was started by the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez and carries with it various form oil/energy related deals among other things, later leading to a deeper form of future economic integration for member states.

Related Topics:
Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas - Venezuela - Hugo Chávez - Oil - Energy

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