U.S. Trade Policy Tracker

America’s Free Trade Agenda The U.S. has forged a strong leadership role within the WTO. With 149 members in the WTO, the United States benefits from the increased market access generated by multilateral trade agreements. Along with multilateral trade liberalization in the WTO, regional and bilateral FTAs also figure as important U.S. trade policy tools.[1] The U.S. has been seeking comprehensive and high-quality trade agree­ments that are “tailored to reflect a world of high tech­nology, complex new intellectual property standards, labor and environmental considerations, and the growth of the service sector.”[2] While multilateral negotiations take time, FTAs allow the U.S. the option of obtaining agreements with countries that are willing to dismantle foreign trade barriers rapidly. FTAs formed with different countries or regions can also serve as building blocks for broader agreements and provide institutional competition that helps to keep multilateral talks on track. http://www.heritage.org/Research/TradeandForeignAid/bg1949.cfm

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