Abstract
<p>This article brings to the attention of those public servants involved in the design and negotiation of free trade agreements between the United States and developing countries, such as Colombia, the potential benefits and drawbacks of negotiating in a bilateral forum. Rather than critiquing the free trade agreement for its particular provisions, this article examines the U.S. policy of negotiating bilaterally with developing countries as opposed to multilaterally in the world trade system and what effects such an approach might have on the economic development of the latter. Using an incremental policy analysis, the article critiques the bilateral approach in terms of economic development and fair trade negotiations using the recent Colombia-U.S. trade agreement as a case study. The article concludes that a bilateral approach that is disconnected from a broader multilateral context may be detrimental to developing countries and recommends increased oversight of such agreements by the World Trade Organization to ensure a higher degree of fairness.</p>
Highlights
After two years of negotiations and attempts to secure a workable agreement, Colombia and the United States signed a bilateral trade agreement on February 27, 2006
The article concludes that a bilateral approach that is disconnected from a broader multilateral context may be detrimental to developing countries and recommends increased oversight of such agreements by the World Trade Organization to ensure a higher degree of fairness
This was a momentous occasion for both countries as Colombia is the third largest Latin American economy and it plays a significant role in u.s. foreign policy
Summary
After two years of negotiations and attempts to secure a workable agreement, Colombia and the United States signed a bilateral trade agreement on February 27, 2006. This was a momentous occasion for both countries as Colombia is the third largest Latin American economy and it plays a significant role in u.s. foreign policy. The agreement is beneficial for u.s. businesses that work with Latin America or that intend to in the future[6] Is this the best arrangement for Colombia? Conclusions and recommendations will be drawn to guide policymakers on the negotiation of other such arrangements in the future
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
