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FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas)

See also the following sections of this website:

• NAFTA
• CAFTA (Central American Free Trade Agreement)
• Trade issues
• WTO (World Trade Organization)
• UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development)

Official FTAA website:

Free Trade Area of the Americas

• {···español: Area de Libre Comercio de las Américas}

• {···français: Zone de libre-échange des Amériques}

•  {···português: Area de Livre Comércio das Américas}

Other websites:

Final Declarations: Summit of the Americas, 2001 - Declaration of Quebec City (AmericasCanada.org, Government of Canada, 22 Apr. 2001)

• {···español: Declaration de la ciudad de Quebec}

• {···français: Déclaration de Québec}

•  {···português: Declaração da Cidade de Quebec}

Free Trade Area of the Americas (Rights & Democracy, International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development)

• {···français: Zone de libre-échange des Amériques}

Free Trade Area of the Americas: News and Updates (Center for Economic and Policy Research)

The FTAA: Questions and Answers (Canadian Alliance on Trade and Environment)

Global Economy (Institute for Policy Studies)

{···français} Groupe de recherche sur l'intégration continentale (Centre Études internationales et Mondialisation Université du Québec à Montréal)

Issue Library: Trade Agreements (CorpWatch)

Second Peoples' Summit of the Americas website

• {···español: Segunda Cumbre de los Pueblos de América}

• {···français: Deuxième Sommet des peuples des Amériques}

•  {···português: Segunda Conferência dos Povos das Américas}

Unveiling "NAFTA for the Americas": NAFTA + WTO = FTAA (Public Citizen/Global Trade Watch)

• {···español: Quitando el Velo al "TLCAN para las Américas": TLCAN + OMC = ALCA}

The U.S. and the Third Summit of the Americas (U.S. Department of State)

• {···español: Tercera Cumbre de las Américas}

• {···français: Le troisième Sommet des Amériques}

Other materials:

2003:

press release: Make Trade Fair for the Americas : Oxfam says NO to FTAA - Oxfam International launched today a report opposing the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). Oxfam believes that trade and investment rules, such as those proposed in the FTAA and the WTO, must be radically changed in order to promote sustainable development, poverty reduction, and respect for human rights. (Oxfam International, 25 Jan. 2003)

• report: Make Trade Fair in the Americas - Agriculture, Investment and Intellectual Property: Three Reasons to Say No to the FTAA - While poverty, inequality and the concentration of wealth persist in Latin America and the Caribbean, trade and investment agreements are being promoted that would seriously limit the possibilities of development and poverty eradication in the countries of the region. The Free Trade Area of the Americas is an agreement that would favor the interests of large corporations over the rights of the people of the Americas. (Oxfam International, 2003)

• {···español} nota de prensa: Por un Comercio con Justicia para las Américas Oxfam internacional dice no al ALCA - Oxfam Internacional presenta hoy, en el Foro Social de Porto Alegre su informe en contra del Acuerdo del Libre Comercio para las Américas. Oxfam cree que las normas de comercio y de inversiones tal y como se contemplan en el ALCA necesitan cambios radicales para que promuevan el desarrollo sostenible, la reducción de la pobreza y el respeto a los derechos humanos. (Oxfam Internacional, 25 enero 2003)

• {···español} informe: Comercio con Justicia para las Américas- Agricultura, Inversiones y Propiedad Intelectual: Tres razones para decir no al ALCA (Oxfam Internacional, 2003)

{···español} Una introducción al ALCA - Las negociaciones por un tratado de libre comercio en las Américas (GRAIN, enero 2003)

2002:

Before Central American Free Trade Agreement Can Move Forward Country by Country Assessment of Workers Rights Needed - LCHR “Particularly Concerned” About Serious Abuses in Guatemala - The Lawyers Committee for Human Rights urged U.S. officials to ensure that basic workers rights protection were included in a soon-to-be-negotiated Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) at a hearing today in the office of the U.S. Trade Representative. (Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, 19 Nov. 2002)

Indigenous Assembly Condemns FTAA - The Continental Assembly of Peoples of the Americas, meeting Friday in the Ecuadorian capital, exhorted the region's governments to reject the Free Trade Area of the Americas, saying it will harm their cultures and the environment and deplete natural resources. (Kintto Lucas, Inter-Press Service, 1 Nov. 2002)

MSF comments on the Draft Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) [refers to access to life-saving medicines] (Médecins Sans Frontières, 1 May 2002)

IMF [International Metalworkers' Federation] publishes report on FTAA: The Free Trade Area of the Americas will present a major challenge for the labour movement....Although he [IMF General Secretary Marcello Malentacchi] says that fair trade is one of the best instruments for development, "certain fundamental conditions must be fulfilled for this purpose, such as a clause guaranteeing minimum labour and environmental standards, and increased purchasing power, particularly in developing countries, so that people are able to buy what they produce." (IMF - International Metalworkers' Federation, 5 Apr. 2002)

{···español} La iglesia católica brasileña está contra el ALCA (AFP, in La Hora [Ecuador], 22 marzo 2002)

Many Latin Americans Oppose Trade Deal [FTAA - Free Trade Area of the Americas]: Critics want a partnership, but a more equitable one (Marc Cooper, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2002)

2001:

Renowned US Economists Denounce Corporate-Led Globalization:...Recent Nobel Prize winner Joseph Stiglitz, along with well-known economist Paul Krugman, have of late made a flurry of public statements critical of the policies and processes of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Bank / IMF, and the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) — while leaving plenty of harsh words for the blatantly pro-corporate actions of the Bush Administration. Both economists point to the disruptive and distorting influence of large corporate entities through their dominance over both domestic and international institutions. (James L. Phelan, Grassroots Globalization Network, 18 Nov. 2001)

FTAA (Free Trade in the Americas) Is a Threat, Warns Nobel Laureate: Free trade in the Americas will not benefit the Latin American or Caribbean nations as long as the United States refuses to lift its import barriers, warns US economist Joseph Stiglitz, a winner of this year's Nobel Prize for economics. (Kintto Lucas, Inter Press Service, 29 Oct. 2001) 

Inquiry into Corporate Behaviour in the Americas final report: Another World is Possible: Report of the Commission of Inquiry into Corporate Conduct in the Americas (Commission of Inquiry into Corporate Conduct in the Americas, 6 Sep. 2001)

City rejects trade pact: The Boulder [Colorado, USA] City Council...voted Tuesday to oppose the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas agreement and to boycott World Bank bonds — two gestures of opposition to the rising tide of globalization. (Greg Avery, Daily Camera [Boulder], 22 Aug. 2001)

Nations divided on Free Trade draft: After nearly seven years of attempting to lay the foundations for the Free Trade Area of the Americas, a 434-page text of the proposed accord suggests the nations agree on virtually nothing. The document was released by the governments of 34 countries in an effort to dampen criticism over the secrecy of the negotiations, but the release has sparked rather than quelled more outcry from opponents to the trade agreement. (Jane Bussey, Miami Herald, 14 July 2001)

FTAA under attack at integration forum: The Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), heavily promoted by the US, is an obstacle, not a tool for Latin American integration or development, agreed participants in a forum that concluded Friday in the Venezuelan capital. At the Summit on Social Debt and Latin American Integration, convened by the Venezuelan section of the Parlatino (Latin American Parliament), there were many who advocated working towards regional integration without the participation of the US. (Andres Canizalez, Inter Press Service, 13 July 2001)

FTAA Draft Agreement (Free Trade Area of the Americas, official website, 3 July 2001)

FTAA "Draft" Text Made Public Today Is Missing Vital Information; Has Been Released Too Late: Sanitized Text Released After Seven Years of FTAA Talks Shows That the Proposal Would Expand NAFTA Flaws to 31 More Nations (Public Citizen, 3 July 2001)

Localizing Globalization [NAFTA undercut state regulation. But as NAFTA targets the entire hemisphere (with the proposed FTAA), states are fighting back.] (Chris Mooney, American Prospect, 2-16 July 2001)

Too close for comfort: Washington has clinched agreement on having a Free Trade Area of the Americas in place by 2005.  Few south of the Rio Grande are holding their breath, writes Hisham El-Naggar from Buenos Aires. (Hisham El-Naggar, Al-Ahram Weekly [Cairo], 26 Apr. - 2 May 2001)

Free trade with a conscience?  US President George Bush emerged as the main winner after the Americas Summit, writes Marc Munro, from Quebec City. (Marc Munro, Al-Ahram Weekly [Cairo], 26 Apr. - 2 May 2001)

Labor Leaders Joining Forces in Opposition to Trade Plan [Free Trade Area of the Americas] (Steven Greenhouse, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2001)

Global union demands stronger labour protection in the FTAA (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, 24 Apr. 2001)

• {···español: Conclusión de la cumbre del ALCA de la ciudad de Quebec: Sindicato mundial reclama mayor protección laboral}

• {···français: Conclusions du Sommet de Québec sur la ZLEA: La CISL réclame une meilleure protection des travailleurs}

Summit statement called 'sham', 'wishy washy' (Melanie Seal, Globe and Mail [Toronto], 23 Apr. 2001)

Summit of the Americas: A missed opportunity for human rights (Amnesty International, 23 Apr. 2001)

Chretien and other leaders declare summit a success despite huge protests (Nahlah Ayed, Montreal Gazette, 23 Apr. 2001)

Protests A Success Of Sorts: Labor, Environment On Leaders' Agenda [Summit of the Americas] (Paul Blustein, Washington Post, 23 Apr. 2001)

Bush Says Free Trade Is Key to Meeting Needs of Poor - Canada: In a nod to protests, leaders at summit also note that economic, political gains haven't benefited many. (Robin Wright, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2001)

{···español} No Dejemos a AL al Capricho de las Fuerzas del Mercado: Fox (Excelsior [Mexico], 22 abril 2001)

{···português} Alca vira disputa entre Brasil e EUA (Jornal do Brasil, 22 abril 2001) 

Summit of the Americas: Without due process - Parliamentarians decry lack of openness given to trade talks (Philip Authier, Montreal Gazette, 20 Apr. 2001)

Summit of the Americas: Protesters call for referendum (Charlie Fidelman, Montreal Gazette, 20 Apr. 2001)

Focus on trade, tariffs at Summit of the Americas (Niko Price, Associated Press, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2001)

{···français} Sommet à Québec: mondiales Amériques (Le Monde, 20 avril 2001)

{···français} Le Brésil subit l'initiative américaine [la future zone de libre-échange des Amériques] plus qu'il ne la souhaite (Jean-Jacques Sévilla, Le Monde, 20 avril 2001)

Inquiry into Corporate Behavior in the Americas - Executive Summary: On April 19th, 2001, the United Steelworkers hosted a special inquiry into corporate conduct in the Americas, as part of the Peoples’ Summit in Quebec City. Four Commissioners were invited to participate in the inquiry by six organizations representing working people throughout the western hemisphere. (United Steelworkers Humanity Fund [Canada], 19 Apr. 2001)

It's about world governance: Globalization is inevitable.  The choice is whether to direct it for the corporate good, or humanity's, argues Canada's former ambassador to the OECD, Kimon Valaskakis (Kimon Valaskakis, Globe and Mail [Toronto], 19 Apr. 2001)

Summit of the Americas: Economic giants frighten Brazil - Democracy should be driving the agenda not trade, statesman says (Philip Authier, Montreal Gazette, 19 Apr. 2001)

Indigenous From Across Americas to Bring Free Trade Concerns to Quebec Summit (Agence France Presse, 19 Apr. 2001)

Peoples' Summit condemns FTAA (Shawn McCarthy, Globe and Mail [Toronto], 19 Apr. 2001)

Comment: Cut the blah blah blah [NAFTA/free trade/poverty] (Naomi Klein, Guardian [UK], 19 Apr. 2001)

Nothing 'Free' About Expanded Trade Agreement (Robert Jensen and Rahul Mahajan, Houston Chronicle, 19 Apr. 2001)

FTAA Investment Chapter Confirms Worst Fears of Civil Society (Gumisai Mutume, Inter Press Service, 19 Apr. 2001)

{···español} Cumbre del Alca: intereses económicos disímiles de A.L. y E.U. (Agence France Presse/Terra-Colombia, 19 abril 2001)

{···español} Entrevista con el Presidente: De la Rúa impulsará el ALCA en su viaje a EE. UU. y Canadá, (Germán Sopeña, La Nación [Buenos Aires], 18 abril 2001)

Free Trade Area of the Americas Chapter on Investment Now Public on www.iatp.org (Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy [IATP], 18 Apr. 2001)

• FTAA - Negotiating Group on Investment: Report of the Negotiating Group on Investment to the Trade Negotiations Committee [draft] (29 Nov. 2000)

What Parliamentarians Should Know about the U.S. Agenda in the FTAA (Sarah Anderson, Institute for Policy Studies, 17 Apr. 2001)

Oxfam Opposes Free Trade of the Americas (Oxfam America, 17 Apr. 2001)

SELA [Sistema Económico Latinoamericano / Latin American Economic System] underscores importance of social participation in the FTAA (Andrés Cañizalez, Inter Press Service, interview of SELA Permanent Secretary Otto Boye, 17 Apr. 2001)

• {···español: SELA destaca importancia de participación social en ALCA}

Trading Away Rights: The Unfulfilled Promise of NAFTA's Labor Side Agreement (report, Human Rights Watch, 16 Apr. 2001)

• {···español: Comerciar con los derechos: La promesa incumplida del acuerdo paralelo al TLC} 

NAFTA Labor Accord Ineffective: Future Trade Pacts Must Avoid Pitfalls (press release, Human Rights Watch, 16 Apr. 2001)

Sector Analysis of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (Alliance for Responsible Trade, 16 Apr. 2001)

NAFTA Lite? Hemisphere-Wide Trade Pact Faces Opposition from Brazil to Capitol Hill (Paul Blustein, Washington Post, 15 Apr. 2001)

IFJ [International Federation of Journalists] condemns secrecy in Americas' Trade Talks (International Federation of Journalists, 12 Apr. 2001)

Govts Progress on FTAA - Without Society's Input (Marcela Valente, Inter Press Service, 7 Apr. 2001)

Americas Summit: Time for concrete action on human rights (Amnesty International, 6 Apr. 2001)

AMERICAS - Putting Human Rights on the Agenda (Amnesty International, 6 Apr. 2001)

• {···español: América - Poniendo los derechos humanos en el orden del día: Las preocupaciones de Amnistía Internacional en las Américas}

Women demand role in FTAA debate (Marcela Valente, Inter Press Service, 5 Apr. 2001)

Discord Mars Meeting to Lay FTAA Groundwork (Marcela Valente, Inter Press Service, 5 Apr. 2001)

{···español} Organizaciones ciudadanas alertan sobre los impactos ambientales del ALCA (Ambiental.net [Informaciones Ambientales para América Latina], 4 abril 2001)

Latin America: FTAA divides nations and trade blocs (Inter Press Service, 4 Apr. 2001)

Human rights a divisive issue: Activists want them included in trade pact; business says 'no way' (Sue Montgomery, Montreal Gazette, 3 Apr. 2001)

The Free Trade Area of the Americas Places Corporate Rights Above Human Rights (Global Exchange, 2 Apr. 2001)

US Takes Hardline on Drug Patents (Gustavo Capdevila, Inter Press Service, 2 Apr. 2001)

NAFTA for the Americas: Q&A on the FTAA (Free Trade Agreement of the Americas) (Multinational Monitor, Apr. 2001)

Chile's Democratic Challenge: An Interview with Sara Larrain [Executive Director of Sustainable Chile Program] (Multinational Monitor, Apr. 2001)

Chasing the holy grail of free trade: Towards a 'Free Trade Area of the Americas' (Dorval Brunelle, Le Monde Diplomatique, Apr. 2001)

International Trade Should Protect Human Rights (Rights & Democracy, International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development, 29 Mar. 2001)

• {···français: Le commerce international doit respecter les droits humains}

Groups Gear Up to Battle Hemispheric Pact (Gary Polakovic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2001)

Brazil Ready To Block FTAA Start (Claude E. Erbsen, Associated Press, 22 Mar. 2001)

Companies buying the right to speak [at Summit of the Americas], Beaudoin suggests (Kevin Dougherty, Montreal Gazette, 22 Mar. 2001)

Human Rights and the Free Trade Area of the Americas (Rights & Democracy, International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development, 20 Mar. 2001)

• {···français: Les droits humains et la Zone de libre-échange dans les Amériques}

FTAA poses big risk (Arthur Sandborn, President of the Conseil Central du Montreal Metropolitain of the Confederation of National Trade Unions, Montreal Gazette, 11 Mar. 2001)

Fighting free trade laws (Naomi Klein, Guardian [UK], 1 Mar. 2001)

A Human Rights Framework for Trade in the Americas (Diana Bronson and Lucie Lamarche, Rights & Democracy, International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development, Mar. 2001)

• {···français: Un cadre de référence des droits humains pour le commerce dans les Amériques}

Global Fairness and the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) (AFL-CIO Executive Council Statement, 14 Feb. 2001)

Freedoms That Are Abolished: Understanding the Free Trade Area of the Americas - a guide for activists (ACERCA [Action for Community and Ecology in the Regions of Central America], Feb. 2001)

2000:

Brazil: Unions Want FTAA Put to Popular Vote (Mario Osava, Inter Press Service, 15 Dec. 2000)

Forgotten Promises and Forgotten Lessons: The OAS, the FTAA and Environmental Protection (Christine Elwell, Senior Policy Analyst, Sierra Club of Canada, 27 May 2000)

1999:

The FTAA?  Who Cares?  (Michael Hart, Time.com, 28 June 1999)

NAFTA and after: Slouching towards the Free Trade Area of the Americas (Peter Costantini,1 Jan. 1999)

1998:

NAFTA and after: Mexican labor leader Berta Luján on the Free Trade Area of the Americas (Peter Costantini, 23 Nov. 1998)

• {···español: TLCAN y despues: Sindicalista mexicana Berta Luján habla del Área de Libre Comercio de las Américas}