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Chile's accession to NAFTA will require conforming Chilean antidumping and countervailing duty procedures to NAFTA provisions. Chile uses surtaxes and minimum customs values instead of antidumping laws, and has utilized its countervailing duty laws sparingly since 1985. Chile will benefit from NAFTA's dispute settlement process, although the country will have to change its investigation procedures and trade remedy statutes to comply with NAFTA provisions.

Canada has resorted to dealing bilaterally with both Mexico and Chile after its appeals for the abolition of US anti-dumping laws in areas covered by NAFTA have been ignored. The US had instituted such laws, which have been unpopular with its trading partners, in answer to the low-priced exports of those countries, which competed with its industries. The US complaint lay in the fact that prices for products intended for export were even lower than prices charged for domestic use of the product in their countries of origin.

Chile's inclusion in the North American Free Trade Agreement has been stalled because of debates in the US congress over trade negotiating authority. The country's participation in the trade agreement, however, may be accelerated if either Mexico or Canada separately ink bilateral treaties with it. Clinton is not expected to be able to act on the issue before 1997.

Chile's chemical market may receive more foreign investment and diversify its products as the country negotiates to join the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Mercosur free trade zone in South America. Chile's economy is growing rapidly with a 6.6% increase in 1st qtr 1995 GDP, while inflation in the 1st qtr increased 7.4%.

Squabblings between parties have stalled anew a bill expanding the North American Free Trade Agreement to Chile. Voting on the GOP version of the proposed legislation has been canceled by Republicans heading House committees, pushing action on the bill further. With these delays, the bill may not be passed before Oct. 1995. In response, Chile does not want to offer any key compromises unless a renegotiation is held in Congress.

Preliminary negotiations regarding the possible inclusion of Chile to the NAFTA have finally begun. After weeks of informal discussions, representatives from the three countries that are already members of the tariff-free trade agreement are set to sit down with officials from Chile to discuss their opening positions about the terms of the accession of the Latin American country. The inclusion of Chile is important because it could set a precedence in the creation of a hemispheric free-trade agreement by 2005.

Republican representative Philip Crane is opposing Trade Rep. Mickey Cantor's proposal to create side accords when Chile enters the North American Free Trade Agreement. Crane opposes linking labor and environmental issues to prevent the US and Chile from expanding their negotiations. He announced that the Republican Party is ready to discuss the issue with the North American Commission on Environmental Cooperation to clarify their views on the matter. Meanwhile, Chilean Finance Minister Eduardo Aninat have already announced his willingness to sign an accord.

Government insiders claim that the US, Mexico and Canada have agreed to start negotiations with Chile regarding the latter's admission into the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). These sources say that the talks are likely to be settled around the time that Pres. Bill Clinton hosts the Summit of the Americas in Dec. 1994. However, talks cannot commence until the president is granted negotiating authority for NAFTA by the Republican-controlled Congress.

Republican Congressman Bill Archer's move to revive fast-track legislation for NAFTA gives the US the chance it missed when the Clinton Administration reneged on its pledge to Chile to become the prime mover in international free trade. This bill authorizes the president to directly negotiate foreign trade.

Chile's entry into the North American Free Trade Agreement is being hampered by its trade agreement with Canada and the Mercosur - the customs agreement between Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. The differences in trade requirements and regulations present varying standards to which Chile must comply to compete in the target market.

The Clinton administration expects Congress to support hemispheric trade integration through fast-track authority by Jan 1997. As world attention focuses on Latin America, Congress may finally vest Pres Clinton with fast-track authority to enable him to submit trade pacts before Congress for a straight vote. This eliminates the hassles of making amendments. Clinton plans to include Chile into the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Canada and Chile have signed a free-trade pact that replaces the practice of trade-restricting anti-dumping lawsuits with domestic anti-trust regulations in cases concerning unfair pricing of imported goods. The agreement will eliminate the practice of charging anti-dumping duties to foreign exporters, which Canada claims is just a substitute for the tariffs eliminated under NAFTA. The US is advised to follow the example and remove its protectionist policies.

Several senators are set to challenge Congressional plans to include Chile in the dispute settlement process of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Sen. Majority Leader Bob Dole and eight other officials have asked Pres. Clinton not to include Chile in the NAFTA process. Sen. Charles Grassley and Sen. Max Baucus, who led the complainants, centered their criticism over Ch. 19, which specified an appeals process for trade disputes.

Rep. Jennifer Dunn is calling for bipartisan support for a bill giving Pres. Clinton fast-track negotiating authority to include Chile in the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta). Dunn claims that Chile is ready to join Nafta and is just awaiting the fate of the fast-track legislation. The fast-track authority is a controversial issue because it will provide greater power to the president in forging trade agreements. Dunn has also revealed the possibility of granting permanent most-favored-nation status to China.

Export prospects for the second year of the North American Free Trade Agreement, 1995, does not appear bright for US retailers due to the Mexican peso crisis which led to the devaluation of the peso by about 40%. However, 1996 is expected to be a time of recovery with the prospect of Chile as the next member of the NAFTA community. The country's sporting goods market grew by 41% between 1991 and 1992 and by 47% from 1992 and 1993., After passing its first-year tests with flying colors, the North American Free Trade Agreement faced some challenges during its sophomore session. However, with Chile expected to join as a new [...]

Trade Rep. Mickey Cantor reports that the Clinton Administration plans to include labor and environmental requirements in the fast-track negotiations for Chile's admission to the NAFTA. Kantor, however, is not sure whether the Republican-controlled Congress will grant Pres. Bill Clinton authority for fast-track negotiations. Chile's membership to the NAFTA is part of Clinton's plan to extend the free trade agreement beyond current member nations Mexico, Canada and the US.

Chief Chilean negotiator Juan Gabriel Valdes has announced that his country will defer talks until Sep. 1995 on whether it will pursue further talks on accession to the North American Free Trade Agreement. Valdes stated that the Chilean government will not enter substantive negotiation in the absence of fast track. Although the House is expected to provide Pres. Bill Clinton with fast-track authority in an amendment to a budget reconciliation bill by early Aug. 1995, the measure is also expected to face strong opposition from the Senate.

WASHINGTON -- The chairman of the Senate Trade Subcommittee voiced confidence Thursday that Congress would pave the way for Chile to join the North American Free Trade Agreement. In a [...]

WASHINGTON (FNS)--Chile will begins talks with the U.S., Mexico and Canada later this month that could lead to its joining the North American Free Trade Agreement as early as next [...]

NEW YORK (FNS) - Chile will be made a partner in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) within a year, Carlos Moore, chairman of the United States Industry Sector [...]

The extent of trade cooperation among countries in the American continent is expected to increase with the addition of Chile to the North American Free Trade Agreement. The NAFTA will encompass all of the 31 American countries by 1995. Chile's admission is merely awaiting ratification, but it has already prepared its economy for enhanced trade by privatizing most of its state-owned firms, reducing tariffs and liberalizing its markets.

Chile's inclusion in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is expected to be forthcoming although the US will still have to resolve debates on the intertwining of trade negotiations with environmental and labor issues. Republicans have stressed their opposition to relating trade with the environment and labor. This may complicate Pres. Bill Clinton's plan to request Congress for new trade-negotiating powers needed to help Chile join the NAFTA.

A research group from the Institute for International Economics announced that Chile, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago are the three candidates most likely to become the newest members of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). NAFTA, which is primarily composed of the US, Canada and Mexico, have been searching for potential members since it was signed. The three countries will have to meet the criteria before negotiations for a free trade accord will be conducted.

Chile seems to be the next country in line to begin trade talks with the US administration after the approval of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Other Latin American and Caribbean countries such as Argentina, Venezuela and Colombia are also being considered for trade agreement with Washington. Domestic political considerations go into play in pursuing bilateral pact with Chile. Canada and Mexico may not be too happy about the arrangement.

Undersec. of Commerce for International Affairs Jeffrey Garten says that Latin American nations are considering forming their own bilateral trade agreements with the US instead of joining the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Chile and Argentina have both announced their interest in joining the NAFTA but may have difficulty meeting its conditions. The Chilean government is still deciding over whether to form a bilateral free-trade pact with the US.