Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA)

DATE IN EFFECT: Proposed in 1990 and reintroduced in 1994 (Summit of the Americas); to go into effect in 2005

MEMBERS: All countries in the Americas (U.S. commitment remains uncertain)

OBJECTIVES: Hemispheric free-trade zone to be based upon both NAFTA and MERCOSUR. Special focus will be placed on human rights, poverty, education, health care, drug trafficking, terrorism, infrastructure, energy, tourism, women's studies, biodiversity and pollution.

Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM)

DATE IN EFFECT: August 1, 1973

MEMBERS: Antigua, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, the Bahamas and Suriname

OBJECTIVES: Strengthen historical ties, improve region's standards of labor and living, promote efficient use of natural resources along with economic development and cooperative measures to enhance social, cultural and educational sectors of society.

Central American Free Trade Zone (Preceded by General Treaty on Central American Economic Integration, December 13, 1960 and the Central American Common Market (CACM), 1963)

DATE IN EFFECT: 1993

MEMBERS: El Salvador, Guatemala. Honduras, Nicaragua

OBJECTIVES: Unification of all bilateral trade practices, intra-regional tariff reductions (5-20% for approximately 5,000 products), and centralized customs code.

Central America-Mexico

DATE IN EFFECT: 1996 (Negotiations began in 1992)

MEMBERS: Mexico and Central America (Exempting Panama) OBJECTIVES: Removal of most trade barriers; concessions were granted to Central American countries in regards to their debts with Mexico; cooperative programs to foster technological growth and joint agricultural policies are focal points of the agreement.

Amazon Pact

DATE IN EFFECT: 1978

MEMBERS: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela

OBJECTIVES: Foster scientific development of the Amazon River basin. Specifically, this accord plans to alleviate/control tropical diseases, improve infrastructure and transportation within the region. This plan also encourages tourism and border trade among the participating countries.

U.S. Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI)

DATE IN EFFECT: 1984 (Renewed in 1990 'CBI-2')

MEMBERS: (Eligible countries) Antigua-Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Panama, St Kitts-Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago OBJECTIVES: Products manufactured outside the U.S. that constitute only U.S. parts are eligible for duty-free access to U.S. markets (excluding textile and petroleum products).

Association of Caribbean States (ACS)

DATE IN EFFECT: January 1995

MEMBERS: 14 CARICOM countries, Central America, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Cuba

OBJECTIVES: To establish a free-trade zone by 1998. This treaty hopes to boost its own eligibility to join NAFTA.

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