The Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA) today applauded the signing of the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by Ambassador Robert Zoellick, the U.S. Trade Representative, and Soledad Alvear, the Chilean Foreign Minister, in Miami, Fla.  EIA was a leader in last year’s fight to secure Trade Promotion Authority and is encouraged by the Bush Administration’s aggressive pursuit of agreements that will advance free trade and eliminate trade barriers for American businesses.

“Free trade is one of the electronics industry’s highest priorities, particularly since more than a third of U.S. jobs in the computer and electronics manufacturing sector are supported by exports,” said McCurdy. “Our member companies have worked hard to open the world’s markets, and we strongly expanded opportunities such as the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement. U.S. high-tech goods and services exported to Chile totaled $865 million in 2001, and it is critical that we keep our manufacturers on a level playing field as others, such as the EU, implement their own FTAs with Chile.”

The U.S.-Chile FTA provides significant benefits to the high-tech industry in critical areas such as regulatory transparency, intellectual property protection, telecommunications market access and e-commerce development. The agreement also includes a commitment by Chile to eliminate tariffs immediately on 85% of imports in key sectors, including computers and other information technology equipment. At this time of economic challenges, high-tech companies have a particular interest in new growth prospects overseas, and this FTA has the potential to pave the way for similar negotiations in other countries around the globe.