NORTH AMERICAN TRADE REPRESENTATIVES HOLD ANNUAL MEETING
News Date October 20, 2009
Representatives from the United States, Canada, and Mexico met in Dallas, Texas last week for the annual meeting of the NAFTA Free Trade Commission (FTC). Ambassador Ron Kirk, United States Trade Representative; Gerardo Ruiz Mateos, Mexico's Secretary of Economy; and Stockwell Day, Canada's Minister of International Trade, marked the achievements of free trade agreement’s first fifteen years and plotted a course for the future of the agreement. Following the meeting, the three trade representatives released the following joint statement:
“Fifteen years ago our countries launched the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Since its entry into force, trade and investment flows have increased, investment has grown, and our economies have become more competitive. The benefits of expanding trade have flowed to businesses, farmers, workers, and consumers.
Today we met to celebrate our achievements and to lay a course for the future. We note that the NAFTA partners implemented all of the tariff cuts on schedule or, in some cases, ahead of schedule. As a result, trade between our countries has blossomed. From 1993 to 2008, trade among the NAFTA countries has more than tripled, from $297 billion to $946.1 billion. Each day the NAFTA countries conduct nearly $2.6 billion in trilateral trade. We are committed to developing new and creative ways to promote trade.”
The trade representatives’ full statement is available on the U.S. Trade Representative’s website. (Contact: Amy Mann)