US ambassador says Bush will certify Dominican Free Trade Pact

[arcos]

US ambassador says Bush will certify Dominican Free Trade Pact

Santo Domingo.– A delayed U.S. free trade agreement with the Dominican Republic will likely take effect within a few weeks, the U.S. ambassador said in comments published Thursday.

The trade pact has been delayed for more than a year in the Caribbean country because the legislature has struggled to pass new laws required by the United States under the deal.

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The Dominican Republic is one of six Latin American signatories to the agreement, which has already been implemented in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador, but not in Costa Rica or the Dominican Republic. Hertell did not elaborate on what requirements were still pending.

Many of the earlier delays stemmed from conflicts over Dominican intellectual property law, including issues related to pharmaceutical manufacturing.

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http://www.dominicantoday.com/app/article.aspx?id=21664

[aquart]

1. Free trade with sweatshop countries. Oh, goody.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Yep, they've really hit the jackpot, haven't they? Good grief. n/t

[Justyce]

3. Isn't there anything Congress can do to stop this??