Trade Facts
Office of the United States Trade Representative www.ustr.gov
Bipartisan Agreement on Trade Policy
May 2007
Bipartisan Trade Deal
The Bipartisan Trade Deal announced Thursday May 10 provides a clear and reasonable path
forward for Congressional consideration of Free Trade Agreements with Peru, Colombia,
Panama and Korea. The new trade policy template also opens the way for bipartisan work on
Trade Promotion Authority. This will ensure the creation of new economic opportunities for
American farmers, ranchers, manufacturers, service providers, more choices for consumers,
and help guarantee that the benefits of trade extend to all people.
I.
Internationally-recognized labor principles incorporated into trade agreements
• Enforceable reciprocal obligation for the countries to adopt and maintain in their laws and practice the five
basic internationally-recognized labor principles, as stated in the ILO Declaration on Fundamental
Principles and Rights at Work.
• Enforceable obligation to effectively enforce labor laws; five basic internationally-recognized labor principles
from the 1998 Declaration, plus acceptable conditions of work. A violation must occur in a manner affecting
trade or investment between the parties.
• Only a government can invoke dispute settlement against the other government for a labor violation under
an FTA. Labor obligations subject to the same dispute settlement procedures and remedies as commercial
obligations.
II.
Multilateral Environmental Agreements incorporated into trade agreements
• Specific list of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) incorporated in FTAs for the first time
including: the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), Montreal Protocol on
Ozone Depleting Substances, Convention on Marine Pollution, Inter-American Tropical Tuna Convention
(IATTC), Ramsar Convention on Wetl