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DOL Home > ILAB > ILAB Projects Map > The Americas > Colombia

ILAB in Colombia

Map of Colombia

Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor & Human Trafficking (OCFT) Technical Cooperation Projects

Closed Projects

Colombia Action Plan Related to Labor Rights

The United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (Agreement) includes strong protections for workers' rights based on the May 10, 2007 bipartisan Congressional-Executive agreement to incorporate high labor standards into America's trade agreements. The Agreement includes obligations for Colombia to protect fundamental labor rights as well as to effectively enforce existing labor laws, which will enable American workers and businesses to compete on a level playing field.

In addition, President Obama insisted that a number of serious and immediate labor concerns be addressed before he would send the Agreement to Congress. These concerns include violence against Colombian labor union members; inadequate efforts to bring perpetrators of murders of such persons to justice; and insufficient protection of workers' rights in Colombia. As a result, the U.S. and Colombian governments have agreed to an ambitious and comprehensive Action Plan that includes major, swift and concrete steps the Colombian government will take to address outstanding labor concerns.

Office of Trade and Labor Affairs – Trade Agreement Administration & Technical Cooperation (OTLA-TAATC)

U.S. Department of Labor's Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor

This annual report, required by the Trade and Development Act of 2000, presents the findings of the Secretary of Labor with respect to trade beneficiary countries' implementation of international commitments to eliminate the worst forms of child labor.

Labor Department Reports for the U.S. — Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement

Per the Trade Act of 2002 [sections 2102(c)(5), 2102(c)(8) and 2102(c)(9)] and subsequent delegations of responsibilities that it creates, ILAB prepares for Congress three reports for every country with which the United States intends to establish a free trade agreement: a U.S. employment impact report, a report on the labor rights situation in our proposed partner country, and a report on laws governing exploitative child labor in the partner.

For more information about the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement, please visit the USTR Web site.

The Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA)

The Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA) was enacted in 1991 to combat drug production and trafficking in the Andean countries: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. The program offers trade benefits to help these countries develop and strengthen legitimate industries. ATPA was expanded under the Trade Act of 2002 by the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act. Section 207 of the ATPA requires the Secretary of Labor, in consultation with other appropriate federal agencies, to undertake a continuing review and analysis of the impact of the implementation of the ATPA on U.S. labor. The legislation also directs the Secretary to submit an annual report to the Congress that presents a summary of the results of the review and analysis.

For more information about the ATPA, please visit the USTR Web site.