Press Release

Secretary Gutierrez to Lead Fourth Congressional Delegation to Colombia

Gutierrez will Highlight Colombia Effort to Stem Violence and the Mutual Benefits of the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement

MEXICO CITY—Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez announced today he will lead his fourth bipartisan Congressional delegation since September 2007 to Colombia, Feb. 29 - March 2. The trip will highlight the benefits of approving the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA).

The delegation will include U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao, Small Business Administration Administrator Steven C. Preston, and bipartisan members of Congress (subject to change): U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-TN); Representatives Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Fred Upton (R-MI), Tom Davis (R-VA), Paul Ryan (R-WI), Bud Cramer (D-AL), Jim Matheson (D-UT) and Peter Roskam (R-IL).

“During our visit, the bipartisan U.S. delegation will see firsthand the progress the Uribe Administration has made in labor rights, social justice and rule of law. Colombia’s government and people have remained diligent in their efforts to advance freedom and hope in their country,” Gutierrez said. “The U.S.-Colombia TPA would remove tariffs that U.S. goods and agriculture currently face when entering Colombia’s growing market. This agreement will allow Colombia to continue on the path of progress by lifting economic opportunity in the region. The US-Colombian TPA is not just a trade agreement. It is a national security imperative for our country.”

The three-day visit to Medellín, Colombia, will underscore how increased security has led to strong economic growth, reduced poverty and strengthened democracy in Colombia. The delegation will meet with Colombian officials and discuss important issues involving Colombia. They will travel to a barrio in Medellín, where Gutierrez and the delegation will join President Uribe for a Town Hall Meeting. The delegation will see the transformation underway in this neighborhood in western Medellin, home to thousands of displaced and vulnerable families. They will also hear directly from local residents about their daily challenges and witness the joint U.S.-Colombian efforts to enhance security and provide social and economic support for the neighborhood. The bipartisan delegation will visit a once violent and poverty stricken area of Medellin which is slowly rebuilding and now served by El Metro Cable, a new modern mass-transit cable system.

"The free trade agreement with Colombia is good for workers of both countries and we'll be talking with leaders about how to accelerate the progress that's been made in reducing labor union violence and creating more opportunities for workers," Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao said.

Gutierrez and Members of Congress will meet with Colombia’s Attorney General Mario Iguarán Arana to discuss the progress the Uribe Administration has made fighting labor-related violence. Iguarán will discuss the Colombian Government’s plans to devote additional resources to prosecute the perpetrators of violence against trade union leaders. The delegation will hear from both pro-TPA and anti-TPA trade unionists and will tour the facilities at Puro Campo, an arepa factory where they will be able to speak with managers and workers. This opportunity will allow the delegation to engage private sector representatives—from business leaders to workers on the factory floor—to discuss the Uribe Administration’s commitment to prosecuting perpetrators of violence against union leaders

“Small businesses are essential to America’s economy, generating two-thirds of the new jobs and accounting for half of non-farm GDP,” said U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Steve Preston. “While the opportunities for expansion in new markets are vast, the majority of small businesses that export only do so in one overseas market. It is vital we support their growth by breaking down barriers to entering emerging markets, such as Colombia.

In 2007, more than 90 percent of Colombia’s imports into the United States entered duty-free under unilateral U.S. trade preference programs, such as the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA). This TPA will level the playing field by providing duty-free treatment for U.S. exports to the fast-growing Colombian market. Colombia is the third largest export market for U.S. farm products in the hemisphere.

The U.S. is Colombia’s leading trade partner, accounting for 35 percent of Colombia’s exports and supplying 25 percent of the country’s imports through September 2007. Colombia-U.S. bilateral trade has more than tripled over the past decade, from $5 billion a year in the early 1990s to approximately $18 billion in two-way trade in 2007, due in large part to the Andean Trade Preferences Act (ATPA). Colombia is currently the 26^th largest export market for U.S. goods. U.S. goods exports in 2007 were $8.6 billion, up from $6.7 billion the previous year. U.S. imports from Colombia were $9.4 billion, up from $9.3 billion.

For more information, please visit http://trade.gov.