U.S. Negotiating Separately with Ecuador

• March 23, 2006. Open letter to President of Ecuador signed by former Health Ministers, academics, and NGO representatives. (In Spanish)

• March 21, 2006. Carlos Andrade for Reuters. Ecuador calls emergency to quell Indian protests.
• March 20, 2006. Prensa Latina. Ecuador Rages over FTA.
• March 16, 2006. Reuters. Ecuador Indians block main highway in trade protest.

U.S. Concludes Separate Free Trade Deal with Colombia

On February 27, 2006. the US and Coloombia reached a deal on a bilateral Free Trade Agreement. Negotiations with Ecuador continue.

• USTR Press Release. United States and Colombia Conclude Free Trade Agreement.
• Susan Schwab. Excerpt from Conference Call on the Conclusion of Trade Negotiations with Columbia.
• News Stories
  • March 1, 2006. Inside US Trade. US, Colombia Sign Bilateral FTA.
  • February 28, 2006. Voice of America. New US-Colombia Free Trade Pact Applauded by Some, Feared by Others.
  • February 27, 2006. Martin Crutsinger for the Associated Press. White House Makes Trade Deal With Colombia.

U.S. Concludes Separate Free Trade Deal with Peru

On December 7, 2005, the US and Peru reached a deal on a bilateral Free Trade Agreement. Negotiations with Ecuador and Colombia will continue in the beginning of 2006.

• IP Chapter of the Free Trade Agreement
• Full Text of the the Free Trade Agreement
• USTR Press Release. United States and Peru Conclude Free Trade Agreement.
• April 12, 2006. Oxfam. US-Peru Free Trade Deal a Step Back for Development.
• February 1, 2006. Report of the Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (ITAC-15). The U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA) - The Intellectual Property Provisions.
• News stories
  • December 9, 2005. Martin Vaughan for Intellectual Property Watch. Peru’s Acceptance Of IP Terms Led To Trade Pact With US.
  • December 8, 2005. Paul Bluestein for the Washington Post. U.S., Peru Strike Free-Trade Agreement.
  • December 7, 2005. Doug Palmer for Reuters. U.S., Peru reach free trade agreement.

Government Documents

• United States
  • November 10, 2005. Letter from 15 Members of Congress to U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman.
  • May 3, 2004. Office of the US Trade Representative. Peru and Ecuador to Join With Colombia in May 18-19 Launch of FTA Negotiations With the United States.
  • November 19, 2003. Department of State press release. USTR, Andean Leaders Discuss Start of U.S.-Andean Free Trade Talks.
  • November 18, 2003. USTR press release. USTR Notifies Congress of Intent to Initiate Free Trade Talks with Andean Countries.
  • November 18, 2003. Letter from Robert Zoellick to the Speaker of the House informing Congress of the Bush administration's intention to negotiate the FTA.
  • Annual USTR reports singling out Andean countries on IP matters:
    • 2005 Special 301 Report This includes information on the US's views of IP protection in each of the countries involved in the FTA negotiations - they are all on the Watch List.
    • 2005 National Trade Estimate Report on Trade Barriers. This includes information on the US's views of IP protection in each of the countries involved in the FTA negotiations - they are all on the Watch List.

• Ecuador

  • November 19, 2003. Ecuador se Prepara Para Enfrentar Acuerdo Bilateral con Estados Unidos.
  • November 18, 2003. Gobierno de los Estados Unidos Propone Libre Comercio con Cuatro Paises de la Region Andina.
  • November 17, 2003. Estados Unidos Dispuesto a Iniciar un Prociso de Degociacion Comercial con Ecuador.

• Colombia

  • November 18, 2003. Estados Unidos Anancia Negociacion Formal de Tratado de Libre Comercio Con Colombia.
  • November 18, 2003. "Si Trabajamos Juntos Podemos Vencer," Dice Embajador Zoellick a Colombia.

NGO Documents

• Septmeber 10, 2004. Medicins Sans Frontieres. Open Letter to Ministers of Trade in Countries Negotiating the US-Andean Free Trade Agreement.
• July 3, 2004. Medecins Sans Frontieres. What's the Cost for Health in Ecuador.
• May 18, 2004. 3D -> Trade-Human Rights-Equitable Economy. UN Committee Warns Ecuador that US-Andean FTA Must Not Undermine Human Rights. (MS Word format.) To read the Spanish version of this document, click here.
• March 24, 2004. Medecins Sans Frontieres. Comments submitted to USTR on the US-Andean FTA.
• February, 2004. 3D -> Trade-Human Rights-Equitable Economy briefing submitted to Ecuador's Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR). The impact of international trade agreements regulating intellectual property rights on access to medicines and the fulfillment of children's rights.

Business Goup Documents

• November 10, 2005. Generic Pharmaceutical Association. Letter to U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman.
• March 17, 2004. John Murphy, Vice President for Western Hemisphere Affairs for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Testimony before the Trade Policy Staff Committee.
• November 18, 2003. National Association of Manufacturers. NAM Lends Support to US-Andean Trade Talks - “Will Help Boost Exports, Raise Standards,” Says Jasinowski.

News Stories

• December 1, 2005. Dow Jones Newswire. Peru Wants More Flexibility From US In Trade Talks.
• November 30, 2005. Bridges Weekly Trade News Digest. Ag, IP Hobble Andean-US Free Trade Talks.
• November 22, 2005. Xinhuanet. Colombia, Ecuador: more talks needed for FTA with US.
• September 28, 2005. Bridges Weekly Trade News Digest. Disagreement Over Data Protection Holding Up Andean-US FTA.
• September 27, 2005. Encarna Nu ez Diaz for World Markets Analysis. U.S./Andean FTA Talks Face Setback, as Colombian Medicines Team Resigns.
• September 19, 2005. Kim Housego for the Associated Press. U.S. and Three South American Nations Begin Talks
• September 14, 2005. Bridges Weekly Trade News Digest. Andean Negotiators Call for Flexibility on AG, IPRs In FTA Talks With US.
• July 14, 2005. Reuters. Thousands of Peruvians protest U.S. trade pact.
• March 21, 2005. William New for IP-Watch. U.S., Andean Negotiators Dodge Toughest IP Issues For Now.
• March 9, 2005. Juan Forero for the New York Times. Free Trade Proposal Splits Bolivian City.
• December 2, 2004. Rebecca Howard for Dow Jones Newswires. Peru Says US-Andean FTA Talks Need More Time - Report.
• September 16, 2004. La Republica. Resignation of Peruvian IP Negotiator [hired by Pfizer] Reveals Fragility of FTA Negotiations.
• September 16, 2004. El Tiempo. Abismo cada vez mayor sobre propiedad intelectual y la tormenta Jeanne azotaron negociacion del TLC.
• August 20, 2004. Inside US Trade. US, Colombians Reach Agreement on Andean FTA Advisor.
• May 17, 2004. El Tiempo. Colombia defined 307 points to negotiate in the Free Trade Agreement with the US.
• May 14, 2004. Monica Vargas for Reuters. US Free Trade Pact Puts Cheap Drugs at Risk-Lobby.
• November 18, 2003. Doug Palmer and Kristin Roberts for Reuters. US, other Latin American nations to talk on trade pacts.
• November 18, 2003. Traci Carl for the Associated Press. U.S. seeks free trade pacts with four Latin American countries.
• November 18, 2003. Jim Teeple for the Voice of America. US Unveils New Initiatives at Western Hemispheric Trade Talks.

Misc.

• July 5, 2004. United Nations press release. US-Peru Trade Negotiations: Special Rapporteur on Right to Health Reminds Parties of Human Rights Obligations.
• January 5, 2003. Eleonora Sandullo for IMS Health. Latin America lagging behind in health care provision.