Fast-Track Authority Will Speed U.S. Trade Deals with Chile and Singapore

摘要

Congressional Approval of Fast-Track trade negotiating authority, which narrowly passed the House earlier this month, will have an immediate impact on negotiations for a free trade agreement between the U.S. and Chile and one between the U.S. and Singapore, industry representatives say. Fast-track authority also would speed negotiations for a Free Trade Agreeent of the Americas (FTAA) by 2005, which would link North, Central,a nd SOuth American nations and be modeled after Nafta, they say. Chile and the U.S. had hoped to finalize a free trade agreement by year-end, but now they will wait untilthe Senate votes early next year, industry groups say.