U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement
On November 22, 2006, the Bush administration signed the Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) despite major concerns in both Colombia and the United States over 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 6, 2011, the Obama administration, which had pledged to fix our unfair trade policy and renegotiate NAFTA, announced it would push Congress to consider the NAFTA-style trade pact with Colombia. Legislation for the deal was sent to Congress on October 3, 2011.
Learn more about it and take action to prevent another NAFTA-style trade deal from being passed.
- Full Text of the Colombia NAFTA Expansion
- Chart: See all corporate investor-state cases and claims launched under U.S. ‘free trade’ deals
- Find out more the blog: Read the latest on Colombia on Eyes on Trade
Reports and Memos | Press Room | Congress Speaks Out | Other Resources
Public Citizen Factsheets, Reports & Memos
- Prosperity Undermined: The Status Quo Trade Model’s 21-Year Record of Massive U.S. Trade Deficits, Job Loss and Wage Suppression (August 20, 2015)
- Broken Promises: Outcomes of Korea, Colombia and Panama FTAs (July 2, 2015)
- Updated Chart: Table of Foreign Investor-State Cases and Claims under NAFTA and Other U.S. “Trade” Deals (April 30, 2015)
- Colombia FTA and Labor Rights: Table of the House Democratic Benchmarks vs. the Obama Administration “Action Plan” (June 24, 2013)
- Factsheet: Colombia FTA Will Displace Tens of Thousands of Small Farmers in Colombia, Undermine Development Goals (June 24, 2013)
- Public Citizen and Washington Office On Latin America: Peru and Colombia FTAs Projected to Increase Drug Trafficking, Violence and Instability in the Andes (June 12, 2013)
- Overview of Free Trade Agreements with Korea, Colombia, Panama (June 5, 2013)
- Overview Fact Sheet – Colombia NAFTA Expansion: Economic and Human Rights Nightmare (June 27, 2011)
- Investor Rules Not Fixed by Preamble Change (June 14, 2011)
- Colombia-Korea-Panama Trade Pact Trifecta General Fact Sheet (May 10, 2011)
- Talking Points: Colombia’s Horrific Labor Abuses Are Among a Long List of Reasons to Oppose the Colombia FTA (April 7, 2011)
- Testimony of Global Trade Watch before the House Ways and Means Committee Hearing on the Pending Free Trade Agreements with South Korea, Panama, and Colombia (January 25, 2011)
- Minimum “Fixes” Needed to Bush’s Hangover FTAs (Panama, Colombia, Korea) (April 24, 2009)
- Colombia’s Horrific Labor Abuses Are Among a Long List of Reasons to Oppose the Colombia FTA (January 21, 2009)
- Colombia FTA’s Investor-State System Expands on CAFTA’s Definition of Government Activities Subject to “Regulatory Takings” Claims (May 16, 2008)
- Violence Against Colombia Trade Unionists and Impunity: How Much Progress Has There Been Under Uribe (April 2008)
- Peru and Colombia FTAs Projected to Increase Drug Trafficking, Violence and Instability in the Andes (April 14, 2007)
Public Citizen Press Releases & Statements
- After Supporting Colombia Free Trade Agreement as a Senator With Claims It Would Improve Labor Conditions, Will Kerry Demand Action as Colombia Remains World’s Deadliest Country for Unionists? (August 12, 2013)
- On One Year Anniversary of U.S. Free Trade Agreement, Colombia Remains Deadliest Country for Union Members (May 15, 2013)
- Reporters’ Memo: USITC Trade Data Shows Obama Goal of Doubling Exports Is Even More Remote Relative to Census Bureau Data, Due in Part to Falling Exports under FTAs with Korea, Colombia and Panama (February 11, 2013)
- Reporters’ Memo: Tomorrow’s Census Bureau 2012 Trade Data Will Include Foreign-Made “Re-exports” but Even with Inflated Data, Obama Goal of Doubling Exports in Five Years Lags (February 7, 2013)
- Contrary to Obama’s Claim, the Three U.S. Free Trade Agreements Passed a Year Ago Today Have not Boosted U.S. Exports (October 12, 2012)
- Blog Post: Implementation of Colombia Trade Deal a New Low for Workers and the Environment (May 15, 2012)
- Job-Killing Trade Deals Pass Congress Amidst Record Democratic Opposition (October 12, 2011)
- Obama Shifts Away from Jobs Message to Promote Bush-Signed Trade Pacts Projected by Official Government Studies to Increase Trade Deficit (October 11, 2011)
- Obama Just Flip-Flopped Right off the Trade Cliff; Congress Must Slam on the Brakes (October 3, 2011)
- Investment Rules Not Fixed by May 2007 Preamble Change (June 14, 2011)
- Obama’s Colombia-Korea NAFTA Expansion Is Damaging, Heartbreaking, Infuriating and Disgusting (April 7, 2011)
- U.S. State Legislators Slam Colombia FTA – Again (July 24, 2008)
- House Passage of New Rule for Colombia FTA Signals End of Fast Track Era (April 10, 2008)
- Sending Colombia FTA to Congress Without Democratic Leaders’ Nod Dooms Pact That Already Faced Uncertain Prospects Because of Unionist Assassinations, NAFTA-Style Provisions (April 7, 2008)
Members of Congress & Civil Society Organizations Speak Out
- Rep. DeLauro: Colombia FTA Inadequacies in Protecting Worker Rights Must Not be Repeated in TPP (May 15, 2014)
- Sen. Brown on Two Year Anniversary of U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (May 15, 2014)
- Citizens Trade Campaign: Labor Rights Abuses Still Rampant Two Years into Colombia Free Trade Agreement Despite Enforceable Labor Chapter and Additional Labor Action Plan (May 15, 2014)
- Congressional Black Caucus Statement: Oppose the Freet Trade Agreements with Korea, Colombia and Panama (September 5, 2013)
- Rep. Miller: Colombia Trade Deal Fails to Promote American Jobs and Values (October 11, 2011)
- Sierra Club Letter Opposing the Korea, Colombia and Panama FTAs (October 6, 2011)
- IBEW Letter Opposing the Korea, Colombia and Panama FTAs (July 13, 2011)
- National Farmers Union Letter Opposing the Korea, Colombia and Panama FTAs (July 7, 2011)
- Members of Congress Oppose Colombia FTA due to concern about the livelihoods of Afro-Colombians (July 6, 2011)
- Friends of the Earth Letter Opposing the Korea, Colombia and Panama FTAs (July 5, 2011)
- IAMAW Letter Opposing the Korea, Colombia and Panama FTAs (June 30, 2011)
- AFL-CIO Building Trades Workers Letter Opposing Korea, Colombia, and Panama FTAs (June 27, 2011)
- Building Trades Workers Oppose Korea, Colombia, and Panama FTAs (June 27, 2011)
- United Auto Workers Oppose U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (June 23, 2011)
- United Steelworkers Oppose Korea, Colombia, and Panama FTAs (June 20, 2011)
- Teamsters Letter Opposing the Korea, Colombia and Panama FTAs (2011) (June 15, 2011)
- AFL-CIO Letter to Congress Opposing Korea, Colombia and Panama FTAs (June 7, 2011)
- Interfaith Working Group on Trade and Investment: Religious Organizations Oppose Colombia Free Trade Agreement (April 15, 2011)
- SEIU: U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement: No Guarantees for an End to Violence Against Union Leaders (April 8, 2011)
- Sierra Club Remains Strongly Opposed to U.S.-Colombia Trade Deal (April 8, 2011)
- United Steelworkers (USW) Joins Colombian Unions in Opposition to Proposed FTA (April 7, 2011)
- Teamsters Question Colombia Human and Labor Rights Action Plan’s Scope, Impact (April 7, 2011)
- Global Trade Watch:Obama’s Colombia-Korea NAFTA Expansion Is Damaging, Heartbreaking, Infuriating and Disgusting (April 7, 2011)
- Latin American Working Group, U.S. Office on Colombia, and Washington Office on Latin America &mdash U.S.-Colombia FTA Action Plan Falls Short of Protecting Rights (April 7, 2011)
- Human Rights Watch – US/Colombia: Rights Conditions Crucial for Trade Deal (April 7, 2011)
- Sen. Brown on U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (April 7, 2011)
- Rep. Johnson’s statement on the administration’s announcement on the Colombia Trade Deal (April 7, 2011)
- Reps. McGovern (MA), George Miller (CA), Rosa DeLauro (CT), Mike Michaud (ME), Linda Sanchez (CA), Jan Schakowsky (IL) – Statement on Proposed U.S.-Colombia Plan Agreement for Free Trade Agreement (April 6, 2011)
- AFL-CIO Remains Opposed to Colombia Deal – Richard Trumka (April 6, 2011)
- Rep. Michaud Slams Colombia FTA Action Plan (April 6, 2011)
- Rep. Sanchez: Colombia FTA Action Plan Doesn’t Go Far Enough (April 6, 2011)
- Rep. Slaughter Denounces Obama Trade Agreement with Colombia (April 6, 2011)
- Rep. Sutton on the Administration’s Announcement on the Colombia Trade Deal (April 6, 2011)
- League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) oppose Colombia, Panama, and South Korea Free Trade Agreements (July 17, 2010)
- Citizens Trade Campaign Letter to President Obama Opposing Korea, Colombia and Panama FTAs (January 25, 2010)
- House Trade Working Group and International Workers Rights Caucus Testimony to USTR on Colombia FTA (September 15, 2009)
- AFL-CIO Testimony: Comments Concerning the Pending Free Trade Agreement with Colombia (September 15, 2009)
- Teamster Letter Opposing the Korea, Colombia and Panama FTAs (2009) (April 23, 2009)
- House Trade Working Group Letter to President Obama on Korea, Colombia and Panama FTAs (February 29, 2009)
- Amazon Watch, Earthjustice, Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Sierra Club and Rainforest Action Network to Congress opposing Colombia FTA (May 15, 2008)
- Latin America Working Group: So Far to Go &mdash Human Rights in Colombia (April 10, 2008)
- Speaker Pelosi Statement on Removing Fast Track Timetable from Consideration of Colombia Free Trade Agreement (April 9, 2008)
- National Farmers Union: Colombia FTA is Wrong Move at Wrong Time (April 8, 2008)
- Human Rights Watch: Reject Colombia Free Trade Deal (April 7, 2008)
- Teamsters “Strongly Oppose Colombia Trade Agreement” (April 7, 2008)
- TransAfrica Forum letter to President Obama on the Proposed United States-Colombia FTA(February 22, 2011)
- United Steelworkers (USW) Calling on Congress to Reject Colombia FTA (April 7, 2008)
- Washington Office On Latin America: Human Rights Arguments Against the Colombia FTA (April 7, 2008)
- AFL-CIO “Strongly Opposed” to the Colombia FTA (April 7, 2008)
- Sierra Club and Friends of the Earth on Colombia FTA (March 12, 2008)
- Change to Win Urges Congress to Reject Colombia FTA (March 12, 2008)
- United Steelworkers Report on Investigative Trip to Colombia Sent to Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid (February 2008)
- AFL-CIO:Workers’ Rights, Violence and Impunity in Colombia (January 17, 2008)
- AFL-CIO to U.S. Representatives saying AFL is “unalterably opposed” to the Colombia FTA (November 8, 2007)
- Environmental Groups’ Letter: The United States Needs a New Pro-Environment Trade Policy, Not More NAFTA-Style Agreements Facilitated by the Recent Trade ‘Deal’ (October 5, 2007)
- University of Texas Rapoport Center Memo: FTA will “further endanger the rights of Afro-Colombians” (July 18, 2007)
- National Latino Civil Rights Groups Letter to Congress Addressing Shortcomings of May 10 ‘Deal’ and Calling for Opposition to Peru, Panama, Colombia and South Korea FTAs (June 27, 2007)
- U.S. Trade Unions to Congress Opposing Colombia FTA (June 11, 2007)
- Colombian Civil Society Groups Urging Colombian and U.S. Congresses to Reject the U.S.-Colombia FTA (April 19, 2007)
- National Indigenous Organization of Colombia (ONIC) Oppose FTA (April 18, 2007)
- Association of Internally Displaced Afro-Colombians and Black Communities Process Letter to Chairman Rangel (January 18, 2007)
- RECALCA to Rep. Rangel on concerns about the Colombia FTA (January 17, 2007)
- Reps. Murtha and Taylor Letter to Rangel and Levin Regarding National Security, Drug Trade Threats of Colombia and Peru FTAs (January 16, 2007)
- Afro-Peruvian and Afro-Colombian Organizations Oppose the Free Trade Agreements (November 13, 2006)
- Human Rights Organizations to Rep. Rangel on concerns with Colombia FTA (January 17, 2006)
Other Resources
- U.S. Labor Education in the Americas Project: Violence Against Colombian Trade Unionists
- Kelly Nicholls at The Huffington Post: The Unanswered Questions Surrounding the U.S.-Colombia FTA (June 22, 2011)