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Fair Trade Archive: GTW E-Newsletters, Action Alerts, and Updates

U.S.-Colombia FTA Overview

Latest Colombia FTA News July 24: U.S. State Legislators Slam Colombia FTA - Again — GTW Press Release April 10: House removes Fast Track Treatment from Colombia FTA — GTW Statement April 7: Bush Administration Sends Colombia FTA to Congress — GTW Statement Essential Materials on the Colombia FTA

On November 22, 2006 the Bush administration, signed the Colombia FTA despite major concerns in both Colombia and the United States over the murder of labor union leaders – and concerns that the agricultural provisions in the agreement could increase rural poverty and lead to an increase in drug trafficking and violence.

On April 7, 2008, after the agreement had languished because of (among other things) ongoing concerns about Colombia's atrocious human rights record, the Bush administration sent the FTA legislation to Congress over the objections of Congressional leaders. As we explain in our statement, this unprecedented move virtually guarantees the ultimate demise of this latest NAFTA expansion deal.

Only days later, only April 10, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) reasserted congressional authority over trade policy-making by removing "Fast Track" rules from the Colombia FTA.

Read the Text of the Colombia NAFTA Expansion

For a summary of the concerns about the labor situation in Colombia, refer to this page at the U.S. Labor Education in the Americas Project.

»	Witness For Peace fact sheet series - Colombia: Where U.S. Policy Kills

»	Washington Office On Latin America: Human Rights Arguments Against the Colombia FTA

»	Latin America Working Group: So Far to Go - Human Rights in Colombia (PDF)

»	USLEAP: Violence Against Colombia Trade Unionists and Impunity (PDF)

»	Center for International Policy: The Specious National Security Argument

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