COA Welcomes Decision by United States, Panama, to Set Date for Entry into Force of Trade Promotion Agreement
COA Welcomes Decision by United States, Panama, to Set Date for Entry into Force of Trade Promotion Agreement
Council of the Americas welcomes today’s announcement that the U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement will enter into force on October 31, 2012.
Washington, October 22, 2012—Council of the Americas welcomes today’s announcement that the U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement will enter into force on October 31, 2012. The U.S. Congress voted to approve the agreement by a large bipartisan majority last October. Today, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Panama’s Minister of Commerce and Industry Ricardo Quijano exchanged letters setting October 31 as the date for implementation.
Council of the Americas thanks and congratulates both governments. This is a step long advocated by the Council as a means to spur significant business opportunities and job creation as well as to strengthen a historic bilateral relationship just as Panama is becoming a crossroads of global commerce. The agreement’s elimination of tariffs and other barriers is expected to expand both countries’ economies through increased exports and investment.
For further information, please contact Adriana La Rotta at alarotta@as-coa.org or 1-212-277-8384.
Council of the Americas is the premier international business organization whose members share a common commitment to economic and social development, open markets, the rule of law, and democracy throughout the Western Hemisphere.
