USA and Ecuador will negotiate trade facilitation protocol

The United States and Ecuador anticipate concluding negotiations for a protocol that will include provisions on trade facilitation, good regulatory practices, anti-corruption, and cooperation with small and medium-sized companies, before the end of the year.

On November 10, the United States and Ecuador held the third meeting of the Trade and Investment Council (TIC).

The US delegation was headed by the United States Deputy Commercial Representative, Michael Nemelka, and the Ecuadorian delegation was headed by the Minister of Production, Foreign Trade, Investment and Fisheries, Ivan Ontaneda.

Both delegations included trade officials and other regulatory agencies.

Trade facilitation

This meeting reflects the high priority that both countries give to deepening trade and investment ties.

Representatives from both countries discussed a number of issues related to trade and investment, including intellectual property, the environment, labor, and trade in agricultural products.

They also discussed the implementation of an ambitious economic and trade agenda between Ecuador and the United States.

Both countries reconfirmed their commitment to accelerate work under the ICT framework, including finalizing the negotiation of a Protocol on trade rules and transparency, based on the high-level provisions of recent trade agreements between the United States and Ecuador.

The two countries anticipate concluding these negotiations, which will include provisions on trade facilitation, good regulatory practices, anti-corruption and cooperation with small and medium-sized companies, before the end of the year.

Both countries hope to further deepen our commitment in 2021 and convene the fourth meeting of the Council for Trade and Investment in Quito, Ecuador.

Since 2012, Ecuador has taken trade facilitation measures, including the implementation of the ECUAPASS electronic customs system and the Ecuadorian Single Window (VUE); the adoption of risk management as a procedure to carry out gauging; the use of automatic gauges and gauges by means of X-rays; and the Authorized Economic Operator Program (AEO).

In 2018, the AEO Program was included as part of Ecuador’s trade facilitation policy. This program has been in the process of implementation since 2010, first through a pilot project, and as of 2015 through a SENAE regulation that regulates the activity of the OAS.