Benefits of U.S. Free Trade Agreements

The United States has implemented 13 free trade agreements (FTA) with a total of 19 countries. In addition, the signed agreement with Panama is awaiting implementation.

Australia
Free trade agreement negotiations between the United States and Australia concluded in February 2004. Since the agreement went into force in January 2005, the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement has stimulated a 170% increase in the U.S. trade surplus with Australia. In 2011, the United States exported $27.5 billion in goods and imported $10.2 billion in Australian products. USTR Australia FTA Page

Bahrain
Since its implementation in August 2006, the U.S.-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement has increased export opportunities for American business. Between 2005 and 2011, U.S. exports to Bahrain grew by 246% to $1.21 billion while imports from Bahrain increased by 20% to $518 million. USTR Bahrain FTA Page

Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR)

  • Costa Rica: Costa Rica implemented CAFTA-DR on January 1, 2009. The President signed implementing legislation on August 2, 2005. In 2011, American firms exported $6.06 billion in goods to Costa Rica, and Costa Rica sent $10.1 billion in imports to the United States.
  • Dominican Republic: Since the Dominican Republic implemented CAFTA-DR in March 2007, the U.S. trade surplus with the Dominican Republic has increased 282%. In 2011, the United States exported $7.3 billion in goods and imported $4.2 billion in products from the Dominican Republic.
  • El Salvador: Since implementing CAFTA-DR in March 2006, the bilateral trade relationship between the United States and El Salvador has blossomed. From 2005 to 2011, U.S. exports to El Salvador grew to $3.4 billion, an increase of 82%. Also in 2011, the United States imported $2.5 billion in merchandise from El Salvador.
  • Guatemala: Since Guatemala implemented CAFTA-DR in July 2006, U.S. exports have increased by 117% to $6.1 billion in 2011. The United States also imported $4.7 billion in goods from Guatemala that year.
  • Honduras: Since Honduras joined CAFTA-DR in April 2006, U.S. exports have increased by 89%. In 2011, U.S. businesses exported $6.1 billion in goods to Honduras. Americans also imported $4.5 billion in goods from the country.
  • Nicaragua: Since Nicaragua joined CAFTA-DR in April 2006, U.S. exports to Nicaragua have increased by 69%. In 2011, the United States exported $1.06 billion to Nicaragua and imported $2.6 billion in goods from Nicaragua.

USTR CAFTA-DR Page

Chile
Since the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement went into force in January 2004, American exports to Chile have increased by 488% to over $16 billion in 2011. Chilean exports to the United States have increased 145% under the Free Trade Agreement to just under $9 billion in 2011. USTR Chile FTA Page

Colombia
Negotiations between Colombia and the United States concluded in February 2006, and the agreement was implemented on May 15, 2012. According to the agreement, Colombia will remove barriers to trade in services, provide a secure, predictable legal framework for U.S. investors operating in Colombia, provide for effective enforcement of labor and environmental laws, protect intellectual property, and provide an effective system to settle disputes. In 2011, the United States imported $23 billion in goods from Colombia and exported goods valued at $14 billion to Colombia. Colombia FTA Page | USTR Colombia FTA Page

Israel
The U.S.-Israel Free Trade Agreement, our nation's first free trade agreement, went into force on September 1, 1985. In 2011, the United States was Israel's largest trading partner. That year, the United States and Israel exchanged almost $37 billion in total merchandise trade. USTR Israel FTA Page

Jordan
Since the implementation of the U.S.-Jordan Free Trade Agreement in December 2001, U.S. exports to Jordan have increased by 329% to over $1.45 billion in 2011, and imports from Jordan increased 363% from $229 million in 2001 to $1.06 billion in 2011. USTR Jordan FTA Page

Morocco
Since its implementation of the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement in January 2006, U.S. exports to Morocco have increased by 487% to $2.8 billion, while U.S. imports from Morocco have increased by 123% to $996 million. USTR Morocco FTA Page

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

  • Canada - Since implementing NAFTA in January 1994, U.S. exports to Canada have increased by 180%. In 2011, U.S. goods exports to Canada equaled $281 billion. At the same time, imports from Canada have increased by 184% since 1993 to $315 billion in 2011.
  • Mexico - Since NAFTA went into force at the beginning of January 1994, U.S. exports to Mexico have increased by 377% to nearly $198 billion in 2011. Between 1993 and 2011, imports from Mexico increased by 559% to $263 billion.

USTR NAFTA Page

Oman
Oman was the fifth Middle Eastern country to sign an FTA with the U.S, and the U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement was implemented in January 2009. In 2011, the United States imported $2.2 billion in goods from Oman and exported $1.4 billion in American-made products to the country. USTR Oman FTA Page

Panama
President Obama signed the U.S.-Panama Free Trade Agreement in October 2011, but the agreement has not been implemented. This comprehensive trade agreement will eliminate tariffs and other barriers to trade of goods and services, expand trade between the United States and Panama, and promote economic growth and opportunity. The agreement will eliminate nearly 90% of Panama's tariffs on industrial goods immediately, with remaining tariffs phased out over 10 years. In 2011, the United States exported $8.2 billion in goods to Panama while importing $389 million in Panamanian products. Panama FTA Page | USTR Panama FTA Page

Peru
The U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement was signed in December 2007. Since that time, imports to the United States from Peru have increased 14% to $6.6 billion in 2011, while American businesses exported $8.3 billion in merchandise to Peru in 2011, a 35% increase. USTR Peru FTA Page

Singapore
Since the U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement entered into force in January 2004, the U.S. trade surplus with Singapore has improved by 751% to $12.1 billion. In 2011, the United States exported $31 billion in goods to Singapore while importing $19 billion from our partner nation. USTR Singapore FTA Page

South Korea
The Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS-FTA) entered into force on March 15, 2012. The agreement represents the United States' most commercially significant FTA in over a decade. The Republic of Korea is the world's 13th largest economy, with a GDP of $1.5 trillion. Korea is already the United States' seventh largest trading partner, with two-way goods trade in 2011 valued at approximately $100 billion. American exports to Korea in 2011 were valued at $43 billion, while imports from Korea totaled $57 billion that year. The KORUS-FTA expands trade and investment flows between the two countries across a comprehensive list of sectors. South Korea FTA Page | USTR South Korea FTA Page


All trade statistics taken from TradeStats Express – U.S. Department of Commerce


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