Word: ftaa
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Free trade has been in the news lately, with protests planned this week in Miami during a meeting of nations involved in the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) talks. Last week, the Commerce Department reported that the U.S. trade deficit widened to $41.3 billion in September on the heels of a record $127.4 billion in imports in September. Free-trade advocates argue that reducing tariffs benefits both sides in economic relations, while opponents claim free-trade zones produce a relentless search for the bottom line that only benefits the very wealthiest in society. What do you think...
...emerged as the spokesman for the developing world. It looks as if Lula may have more to talk about this week. The battle over First World subsidies could torpedo a new round of talks in Miami - talks meant to lead to the Free Trade Area of the Americas (ftaa), the proposed 34-nation, $13 trillion free-trade zone from Alaska to Argentina. Brazil is the U.S.'s co-chair in the Nov. 20-21 talks, which are meant to hash out ground rules for the final stretch of negotiations before the target completion date of Jan. 1, 2005. Things...
...protect U.S. citrus growers, Washington slaps a whopping 52% tariff on Brazilian o.j. In the past 15 years, that has cut Brazil's share of the U.S. frozen concentrated orange-juice market from 45% to less than 15%. The U.S. claims it can't negotiate those duties in the ftaa. The reason: Brazil's lower wages and looser environmental standards, for example, make it over 60? cheaper for Brazilians to harvest a kilo of oranges, thus putting U.S. growers at a competitive disadvantage. Experts like Connolly say that handicap isn't as severe as the U.S. complains. Cases like...
...Remind grousing Brazil that they've been allotted a generous 52 percent of the 5.4-million-ton slab-steel quota. And if they want to be treated like exempted NAFTA members Mexico and Canada, well, the Free Trade Association of the Americas (FTAA) negotiations - a Western Hemisphere version of NAFTA - kick off in 2005, which just happens to be three years away. Remind the Russians that they've been allotted 25 percent of that same slab-steel quota, and that if they want to be treated even better, like special-exemption Turkey, they could always be more helpful...
...after Bush reaps his political rewards in this year's midterm elections and wins election in 2004, he can rediscover his free market principles. In three years the FTAA negotiations - which hold far more promise of concrete results for the U.S. than the Africa-centric round currently underway in Doha, Qatar - will just be beginning, and the tariffs will just be ending. Maybe Bush will have his credibility back by then...