| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
CONTACT: Tita Freeman |
| January 6, 2006 |
(202) 496-3269 |
Urges Congressional Approval of Key Building
Block in Expanding
U.S. Trade with the Americas
Washington, DC – Business Roundtable today commended President
Bush and U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman on the decision
to enter into the U.S.-Peru Free Trade Agreement.
“The U.S.-Peru Free Trade Agreement offers real economic
benefits for U.S. business, agriculture and consumers, and
represents a key building block in the quest for a Free Trade
Agreement of the Americas,” said John J. Castellani, President
of Business Roundtable. “We urge the Administration and Congress
to approve the U.S.-Peru FTA as soon as possible in 2006.”
Castellani indicated that the U.S.-Peru FTA will create
important new markets for U.S. goods, with eighty percent
of U.S. consumer and industrial products and more than two-thirds
of U.S. farm exports gaining immediate duty-free access to
the Peruvian market. The U.S. already exports more than $2
billion in goods per year to Peru, a figure that will grow
considerably upon implementation of the U.S.-Peru Free Trade
Agreement.
“We are very impressed with the U.S.-Peru FTA’s market access
terms, especially in the area of services, which will allow
U.S. firms to gain stronger footing in the important South
American market,” Castellani continued. “The protections offered
by the FTA to U.S. intellectual property are also consistent
with U.S. standards and are strongly supported by the U.S.
business community.”
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Business Roundtable (www.businessroundtable.org)
is an association of chief executive officers of leading corporations
with a combined workforce of more than 10 million employees
and $4 trillion in annual revenues. The chief executives are
committed to advocating public policies that foster vigorous
economic growth, a dynamic global economy, and a well-trained
and productive U.S. workforce essential for future competitiveness.
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