U.S. – Chile Free Trade Agreement History
03 Diciembre 2007
FTA History Resources:
The joint staff of the U.S. Chamber’s Western Hemisphere Department and AACCLA served as the Secretariat of the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Coalition in a collaborative effort that also included the National Association of Manufacturers. These groups were joined by AmCham Chile, the Business Roundtable and the Council of the Americas as the coalition’s “pillar organizations.” Our work since the agreement was completed in December 2002 to advance U.S. business interests in the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement and promote the accord on Capitol Hill.
FTA Creation Timeline:
|
1990 |
President George HW Bush visits Chile and expresses interest in a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Chile. A less formal contract of commercial agreement was also signed between the U.S. and Chile this year. |
||
|
1991 |
Chile signs an FTA with Mexico. |
||
|
1992 |
President Bush hints at the possibility of including Chile in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) during a meeting with President Aylwin soon after NAFTA is completed. |
||
|
1994 |
During a meeting of Presidents William J. Clinton and Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tangle, negotiations begin to include Chile in NAFTA once the Clinton administration obtains “fast-track” negotiation abilities from the US Congress. |
||
|
1996 |
Frei visits the US with a plan of action for Chile to formally join NAFTA. Chile signs a FTA with Canada. |
||
|
1997 |
February |
Frei visits the US congress and declares his support for Chile to join NAFTA. |
|
|
November |
The US congress rejects Clinton's request for “Fast-Track” negotiation abilities. |
||
|
1998 |
Following a visit by Clinton to Chile, a committee is formed to analyze the benefits of a trade agreement between the US and Chile, although this is not the formal beginning to FTA negotiations between the two nations. |
||
|
2000 |
November
|
Chilean President Ricardo Lagos announces the beginning of negotiations for a US – Chile FTA. |
|
|
December |
The first round of negotiations between the US and Chile are completed in Washington, D.C. The Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs negotiated primarily with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). |
||
|
2001 |
January |
The second round of negotiations is completed in Santiago, Chile. The negotiations took place mostly between the Chancellor of Negotiations of Chile, Osvaldo Rosales, and USTR, Peter Allgeir. |
|
|
March |
The third round of negotiations is completed in Miami, Florida. This is the first instance where both sides present proposed benefits for each side and selected economic sectors, but refrained from mentioning specific tariff reductions. |
||
|
May
|
The fourth meeting is concluded in Santiago and a framework is agreed upon for future meetings. |
||
|
June
|
The fifth meeting is concluded in Washington, D.C. The Chilean and U.S. negotiators consolidated the issues and documents which would form the key issues of negotiation for the next several meetings. |
||
|
July
|
The sixth round is completed in Santiago. Both parties produce lists of goods and industries for which they would like to expand trade opportunities. They also discussed anti-dumping, point of origin, legal compensations, and financial services. |
||
|
September |
The seventh round is completed in Washington, D.C. The negotiations were postponed on account of the September 11th terrorist attacks, but reconvened soon after. The negotiators discussed specific goods and industries that will benefit from the FTA, especially manufactured goods.
|
||
|
October |
The eighth round of negotiations is completed in Santiago, and the topic of market access in both countries is addressed. The US congress considers allowing USTR to use Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) to conduct the negotiations.
|
||
|
November |
The ninth round of negotiations is completed in Miami, Florida. Many measures have been decided, but the negotiators wait to discuss sensitive issues like labor laws and the environment until the U.S. Senate decides to allow TPA for the negotiations. |
||
|
2002 |
January |
The 10th Round is completed in Santiago. The talks center around market access, investment, services, antidumping, electronic commerce, intellectual property, government purchases, resolution of controversies, the environment, temporary residence for work, labor rules, sanitary rules, point of origin, and general discussion of customs and duties. |
|
|
April |
The 10th round of negotiations continues. The topics include farm products and market access for a wide range of agricultural and industrial producers. Negotiations are held somewhat over videoconferencing. |
||
|
September |
The second phase of the 10th round is held in Atlanta, Georgia. The topics include the environment, labor regulation, market access for manufacturers |
||
|
November |
The third phase of the 10th round is completed in Santiago. The U.S. and Chilean negotiators exchange documents to assure that the two sides are in agreement. |
||
|
December |
The fourth phase of the 10th round of negotiations is completed in Washington, D.C. This signals the end of negotiation between the two governments on the U.S.-Chile FTA. |
||
|
2003 |
January |
The U.S. executive branch notified the U.S. congress that it had the intention of signing an FTA with Chile, a procedure that must be completed 90 days before the signing occurs. |
|
|
June |
U.S. President George W. Bush presented and signed the FTA bill to the congress in order to allow for modifications before the passage of the bill. |
||
|
July |
The FTA is presented to congress for ratification by President Bush. The U.S. House of Representatives voted 270 in favor of the FTA, 156 against, and 10 abstentions. The U.S. Senate votes 66 in favor and 31 against the proposed trade contract with Chile. |
||
|
August |
The Chilean parliament begins to discuss passage of the FTA. The Chilean Congress created a special delegation of 25 representatives to consider the issue. The commission was presided over by Edgardo Riveros who was charged with reviewing the final accord. |
||
|
September |
On September 9th, 2003, U.S. President Bush signed the FTA between the U.S. and Chile into law. The next day, the Chilean special congressional comm  ission on the FTA approved the accord with 21 votes in favor of the agreement and 3 votes against it. |
||
|
October |
On October 8th, the Chilean Congress approved the FTA with 88 votes in favor of the agreement, 8 votes against it, and 8 abstentions. The bill was then dispatched to the Chilean Senate, which similarly approved the accord. |
||
|
November |
The Chilean newspaper Diario Oficial declared on November 20th that the Chile-U.S. FTA had passed into law. The paper discussed the changes and gradual elimination of luxury taxes to take place over the following four years. 25% of protective customs laws for agricultural products would eliminated as well. There were also changes to laws on intellectual property rights (IPR) in Chile, especially to laws regarding authors’ rights.
|
||
|
December |
On December 4th, 2003,
Chilean President Lagos and ministers of foreign relations Soledad Alvear and Nicolas Eyzaguirre signed the FTA agreement at la Moneda presidential palace. |
||
|
2004 |
January |
The U.S.-Chile FTA went into effect on January 1st, 2004. |
|
FTA History Resources:
The joint staff of the U.S. Chamber’s Western Hemisphere Department and AACCLA served as the Secretariat of the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Coalition in a collaborative effort that also included the National Association of Manufacturers. These groups were joined by AmCham Chile, the Business Roundtable and the Council of the Americas as the coalition’s “pillar organizations.” Our work since the agreement was completed in December 2002 to advance U.S. business interests in the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement and promote the accord on Capitol Hill.
FTA Creation Timeline:
|
1990 |
President George HW Bush visits Chile and expresses interest in a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Chile. A less formal contract of commercial agreement was also signed between the U.S. and Chile this year. |
||
|
1991 |
Chile signs an FTA with Mexico. |
||
|
1992 |
President Bush hints at the possibility of including Chile in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) during a meeting with President Aylwin soon after NAFTA is completed. |
||
|
1994 |
During a meeting of Presidents William J. Clinton and Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tangle, negotiations begin to include Chile in NAFTA once the Clinton administration obtains “fast-track” negotiation abilities from the US Congress. |
||
|
1996 |
Frei visits the US with a plan of action for Chile to formally join NAFTA. Chile signs a FTA with Canada. |
||
|
1997 |
February |
Frei visits the US congress and declares his support for Chile to join NAFTA. |
|
|
November |
The US congress rejects Clinton's request for “Fast-Track” negotiation abilities. |
||
|
1998 |
Following a visit by Clinton to Chile, a committee is formed to analyze the benefits of a trade agreement between the US and Chile, although this is not the formal beginning to FTA negotiations between the two nations. |
||
|
2000 |
November
|
Chilean President Ricardo Lagos announces the beginning of negotiations for a US – Chile FTA. |
|
|
December |
The first round of negotiations between the US and Chile are completed in Washington, D.C. The Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs negotiated primarily with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). |
||
|
2001 |
January |
The second round of negotiations is completed in Santiago, Chile. The negotiations took place mostly between the Chancellor of Negotiations of Chile, Osvaldo Rosales, and USTR, Peter Allgeir. |
|
|
March |
The third round of negotiations is completed in Miami, Florida. This is the first instance where both sides present proposed benefits for each side and selected economic sectors, but refrained from mentioning specific tariff reductions. |
||
|
May
|
The fourth meeting is concluded in Santiago and a framework is agreed upon for future meetings. |
||
|
June
|
The fifth meeting is concluded in Washington, D.C. The Chilean and U.S. negotiators consolidated the issues and documents which would form the key issues of negotiation for the next several meetings. |
||
|
July
|
The sixth round is completed in Santiago. Both parties produce lists of goods and industries for which they would like to expand trade opportunities. They also discussed anti-dumping, point of origin, legal compensations, and financial services. |
||
|
September |
The seventh round is completed in Washington, D.C. The negotiations were postponed on account of the September 11th terrorist attacks, but reconvened soon after. The negotiators discussed specific goods and industries that will benefit from the FTA, especially manufactured goods.
|
||
|
October |
The eighth round of negotiations is completed in Santiago, and the topic of market access in both countries is addressed. The US congress considers allowing USTR to use Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) to conduct the negotiations.
|
||
|
November |
The ninth round of negotiations is completed in Miami, Florida. Many measures have been decided, but the negotiators wait to discuss sensitive issues like labor laws and the environment until the U.S. Senate decides to allow TPA for the negotiations. |
||
|
2002 |
January |
The 10th Round is completed in Santiago. The talks center around market access, investment, services, antidumping, electronic commerce, intellectual property, government purchases, resolution of controversies, the environment, temporary residence for work, labor rules, sanitary rules, point of origin, and general discussion of customs and duties. |
|
|
April |
The 10th round of negotiations continues. The topics include farm products and market access for a wide range of agricultural and industrial producers. Negotiations are held somewhat over videoconferencing. |
||
|
September |
The second phase of the 10th round is held in Atlanta, Georgia. The topics include the environment, labor regulation, market access for manufacturers |
||
|
November |
The third phase of the 10th round is completed in Santiago. The U.S. and Chilean negotiators exchange documents to assure that the two sides are in agreement. |
||
|
December |
The fourth phase of the 10th round of negotiations is completed in Washington, D.C. This signals the end of negotiation between the two governments on the U.S.-Chile FTA. |
||
|
2003 |
January |
The U.S. executive branch notified the U.S. congress that it had the intention of signing an FTA with Chile, a procedure that must be completed 90 days before the signing occurs. |
|
|
June |
U.S. President George W. Bush presented and signed the FTA bill to the congress in order to allow for modifications before the passage of the bill. |
||
|
July |
The FTA is presented to congress for ratification by President Bush. The U.S. House of Representatives voted 270 in favor of the FTA, 156 against, and 10 abstentions. The U.S. Senate votes 66 in favor and 31 against the proposed trade contract with Chile. |
||
|
August |
The Chilean parliament begins to discuss passage of the FTA. The Chilean Congress created a special delegation of 25 representatives to consider the issue. The commission was presided over by Edgardo Riveros who was charged with reviewing the final accord. |
||
|
September |
On September 9th, 2003, U.S. President Bush signed the FTA between the U.S. and Chile into law. The next day, the Chilean special congressional comm ission on the FTA approved the accord with 21 votes in favor of the agreement and 3 votes against it. |
||
|
October |
On October 8th, the Chilean Congress approved the FTA with 88 votes in favor of the agreement, 8 votes against it, and 8 abstentions. The bill was then dispatched to the Chilean Senate, which similarly approved the accord. |
||
|
November |
The Chilean newspaper Diario Oficial declared on November 20th that the Chile-U.S. FTA had passed into law. The paper discussed the changes and gradual elimination of luxury taxes to take place over the following four years. 25% of protective customs laws for agricultural products would eliminated as well. There were also changes to laws on intellectual property rights (IPR) in Chile, especially to laws regarding authors’ rights.
|
||
|
December |
On December 4th, 2003,
Chilean President Lagos and ministers of foreign relations Soledad Alvear and Nicolas Eyzaguirre signed the FTA agreement at la Moneda presidential palace. |
||
|
2004 |
January |
The U.S.-Chile FTA went into effect on January 1st, 2004. |
|