Campaigners and activists in the US are calling on US citizens to write to the Congress calling for a new trade model, saying that the Andean Free Trade Agreement will make people in the Andes poorer and lead to loss of jobs in the US.   more »

Bolivia faces ten litigations by multinational companies in the coming year, saying that the Bolivia Government’s actions on water and gas undermine their investors’ rights protected by Bilateral Investment Treaties. Within Bolivia, lawyers have joined forces with Congressman Wilson Magne to challenge the treaties saying they are unconstitutional. Activists have warned that any attempt to sue Bolivia will lead to massive international campaigns against the multinational companies involved.   more »

Two recent letters to the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) have expressed concerns with respect to the continuing trade negotiations of the Andean Free Trade Agreement (AFTA). The letters bring to attention concerns for agriculture, intellectual property and labor.   more »

A recent paper ‘A Contentious U.S. – Andean Free Trade Agreement: Do it Right or Not at All’ by Helen Cardena and Katherine Vyborny, (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace), expresses concerns for the ongoing negotiations of the Andean Free Trade Agreement (AFTA). Through interviews with individuals from the US, Ecuador, Peru and Columbia (representatives from diverse sectors; negotiation teams, policymakers, NGO’s, associations of industry, labor and farmers), the paper identifies key recommendations for the continuing negotiations and calls for a slower and more thorough negotiation process with specialist treatment of the Andean countries.   more »