Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA)

The Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) is a proposed trade and investment agreement that would liberalize trade and investment rules between nearly every country in the Americas. The FTAA is modeled after the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

FTAA framework discussions began in 1994 with a plan to finish them no later than 2005. But opposition to the proposed agreement has stalled negotiations indefinitely.

FTAA negotiations are opposed by many trade unions and other civil society actors who believe an FTAA would harm workers, the environment, small farmers, and public services.  They are also opposed to the negotiations taking place in secret. 

The stalled FTAA negotiations have prompted the Bush Administration to push for regional and bilateral pacts, like CAFTA and Free Trade Agreements with individual countries, including Colombia, Peru, and Panama.