Statement of Christin Baker, USTR Spokesperson Regarding the Implementation of the US-;Morocco Free Trade Agreement

"We’re pleased that the Moroccan government has taken the final steps in completing its internal process to implement the free trade agreement and that we are on schedule to have this agreement enter into force on January 1, 2006.

"This agreement will expand markets for American farmers, ranchers and businesses and provide greater choices for consumers. This agreement will also strengthen our trading relationship with the Middle East and brings us one step closer to achieving the President’s goal of a US-Middle East Free Trade Area (MEFTA)."

Background

Negotiations on a US-Morocco Free Trade Agreement began in January 2003 and ended in March 2004. The Agreement passed the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate in July and was signed by President Bush in August 2004

U.S. Trade Agenda

The United States is aggressively working to open markets globally, regionally, and bilaterally and to expand American opportunities in overseas markets. The Bush Administration has completed FTAs with 13 countries – Chile, Singapore, Australia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Morocco, Bahrain, Oman and Peru. Negotiations are under way with ten more countries: Colombia, Ecuador, the United Arab Emirates, Panama, Thailand, and the five nations of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). New and pending FTA partners, taken together, would constitute America’s third largest export market and the sixth largest economy in the world.

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