Globalization & Regionalization, Integration & Trade, Trade Agreements, Globalización e integración regional, Integración y comercio, Acuerdos comerciales, Integração e Comércio, Trade Negotiations and Agreements Negociaciones y Acuerdos de Comercio, and Negociaciones y Acuerdos de Comercio Trade Negotiations and Agreements
Abstract
Este trabajo examina algunas de las fuerzas políticas y económicas, y las posibles interacciones entre ellas, que moldearán las posiciones de negociación actuales de EE.UU. en la OMC y el ALCA. La discusión se enfocará en tres temas: el papel de la política en el desarrollo de las políticas agrícolas domésticas, el enfoque concentrado del sector agrícola norteamericano ante la Política Agrícola Común (PAC) de la Unión Europea, y las principales preocupaciones de los agricultores norteamericanos sobre los tratados de libre comercio en el área de la agricultura. This paper will examine some political and economic forces and the possible interactions between them that will shape the current US negotiating positions in the WTO and FTAA. The US and other countries in the Western Hemisphere are currently engaged in two trade negotiations, namely the agricultural negotiations in the WTO that were mandated at the end of the Uruguay Round and the Free Trade of The Americas negotiations (FTAA). In the US as in all democracies, political and economic forces shape government negotiating positions. As a democracy the US system is unique in that it shares and attempts to limit political power through a system of legislative checks and balances. Under this system one party can be in control of the Executive Branch while a different political party - or even two can dominate the Houses of Congress. These political realities mean the importance of politics is heightened in all policy decisions, including international trade negotiations. Private sector interest groups lobby members of Congress intensively and Congress responds by playing a key role in the negotiations well beyond the role of legislative bodies in most other countries. The discussion will focus on three topics, the politics of US domestic agricultural policy and agricultural trade policy, the US agricultural sector's concentrated focus on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Union, and the US agricultural producers major concerns about free trade agreements in agriculture. Estados Unidos y otros países del Hemisferio Occidental se encuentran actualmente involucrados en dos negociaciones comerciales, a saber las negociaciones agrícolas en la OMC, mandadas al final de la Ronda de Uruguay, y las negociaciones para el Área de Libre Comercio de las Américas (ALCA). En EE.UU., como en toda democracia, existen fuerzas políticas y económicas que modelan las posiciones gubernamentales en toda negociación. Como democracia el sistema norteamericano es único en que comparte el poder político e intenta limitarlo a través de un sistema de pesos y contrapesos legislativos. Bajo este sistema, un partido político puede controlar el Poder Ejecutivo mientras otro partido, o incluso dos, pueden dominar las Cámaras Legislativas. Esta realidad gubernamental significa que la importancia de la política aumenta en toda decisión sobre políticas, incluyendo aquellas sobre negociaciones comerciales internacionales. Grupos de interés del sector privado cabildean intensamente a los miembros del Congreso, el cual responde jugando un papel clave en las negociaciones, más allá del rol que cumplen los cuerpos legislativos en otros países. Este trabajo examina algunas de las fuerzas políticas y económicas, y las posibles interacciones entre ellas, que moldearán las posiciones de negociación actuales de EE.UU. en la OMC y el ALCA. La discusión se enfocará en tres temas: el papel de la política en el desarrollo de las políticas agrícolas domésticas, el enfoque concentrado del sector agrícola norteamericano ante la Política Agrícola Común (PAC) de la Unión Europea, y las principales preocupaciones de los agricultores norteamericanos sobre los tratados de libre comercio en el área de la agricultura.
Trade Facilitation, Agricultural policy, Facilitación del comercio, Política agrícola, Política Agrícola, Negociaciones Comerciales, Sector Agrícola, Sector Industrial, SITI Working Paper N° 4, and INTAL
Abstract
This study looks at several major legislative actions in 2002 that will substantially affect trade negotiations with the United States, and examines the US import protection for agricultural products that will be critical in trade negotiations with Central American countries. The two important legislative actions were the passage of the 2002 Farm Bill and the passage of Trade Promotion Authority, which provides for "fast track" treatment of trade agreements. The 2002 farm bill was widely denounced as a major reversal of US farm policy, away from the earlier move toward reduced levels of support and toward decoupled supports for key commodities. In fact, however, the 2002 farm bill contained the same support mechanisms that were in the highly touted 1996 farm bill. The 2002 farm bill also reauthorizes the various export programs that the US government uses to support the increased exports of US farm products. The Trade Promotion Authority contains several new restrictions on US negotiators. It lays out a list of sensitive agricultural products and requires special procedures before any negotiations to liberalize access can occur. In addition to the list of sensitive products the US has some significant tariffs on a number of products that the Central American countries export to the US. Elimination of these tariffs can provide significant gains in market access for some products. In summary, the successful negotiation and approval of a US-CAFTA will require major political will on both sides to overcome the major hurdles that exist. This paper assesses the implications of several major US legislative and executive actions on the issues of importance in negotiating a US-Central American Free Trade Agreement (US-CAFTA). It looks briefly at the political interest groups that dominate US domestic and international trade policy in agriculture, examines the legislation that will shape the US positions in the trade negotiations, and assesses the implications of these measures for the possible integration of US and Central American markets for agricultural products. Under the United States Constitution the authority to deal with international trade rests with the Congress. The authority to negotiate trade agreements is delegated to the executive branch by congressional action, but the rules which accompany the delegation of authority enerally reflect the same political pressures underlying domestic and international policy in agriculture.
Globalization & Regionalization, Integration & Trade, Trade Agreements, Globalización e integración regional, Integración y comercio, Acuerdos comerciales, Integração e Comércio, Trade Policy Política de Comercio, and Política de Comerico Trade Policy
Abstract
The constitution of the United States (U.S.) in effect proscribes both the authority and the responsibility to develop and carry out trade and investment (referred to as commerce in the constitution) policy and negotiate international agreements to two entities - the congress and the President. La constitución de los Estados Unidos (EE.UU.) en efecto atribuye la autoridad y la responsabilidad de desarrollar e implementar políticas de comercio e inversión, y la negociación de acuerdos internacionales, a dos entidades el congreso y el Presidente. These federal decision- makers are supported by a formal and informal array of subsidiary decision- makers, advisors (both formal and informal), interests (organized) and the broad court of public opinion. Furthermore, the federal system is also interrelated (formally and informally) with the state and local system. Increasingly state and local elected representatives and officials and their constituencies are involved because trade and investment policy and agreements have either direct or indirect implications for them. The broad scope of those involved in the development of trade and investment policy and the negotiation of agreements is a reflection of the diffusion of power that is inherent to the institutions, both within government and outside government, that bring great depth to the U.S. democracy. While some criticize the trade policymaking process as being the domain of a narrow set of interests, the process provides for virtually an unlimited range of interests both foreign and domestic - to participate. The issue in the end, however, is which interests are the most influential at any given time and on any given matter. What follows is a description of important elements of the trade and investment policymaking process in the U.S. It is structured to respond to questions that were posed by the Inter-American Development Bank staff. Estos tomadores de decisiones federales cuentan con el apoyo subsidiario formal e informal de una serie de tomadores de decisiones, asesores (tanto formales como informales), intereses (organizados) y el gran cortejo de la opinión pública. Aún más, el sistema federal también esta interrelacionado (formal e informalmente) con el sistema estatal y el local. Los representantes y funcionarios electos local y estatalmente, así como sus constituyentes, buscan involucrarse cada vez más puesto que la política y los acuerdos comerciales y de inversión tienen implicaciones directas o indirectas sobre los mismos. El amplio bagaje de aquellos sujetos involucrados en el desarrollo de las políticas sobre comercio e inversión, y en la negociación de acuerdos, refleja la dilución del poder inherente a las instituciones, tanto a lo interno como a lo externo del gobierno, que le brinda una gran profundidad a la democracia de los EE.UU. A pesar de las críticas de algunos que el proceso de formulación de políticas comerciales está dominado por un pequeño grupo de intereses, el proceso brinda el espacio pare que una gama virtualmente ilimitada de intereses tanto nacionales como extranjeros participen. A continuación se brinda una descripción de los elementos más importantes del proceso de formulación de políticas comerciales y de inversión en los EE.UU. Se ha estructurado de forma tal que responda a las preguntas planteadas por los funcionarios del Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo.