Argentina, El Salvador, Guatemala, Ecuador Reach Trade Deals
Trade frameworks with Argentina, El Salvador, Guatemala and Ecuador have all those countries pledging to "enhance cooperation with the United States to combat non-market policies and practices of other countries. The ... countries have also committed to identifying tools to align approaches to export controls, investment security, duty evasion, and other important topics."
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A senior administration official, speaking on background on a call with reporters late Nov. 13, said these were important provisions. He said some observers were surprised by the strength of the language on coordinating trade remedies and export controls in the Malaysian and Cambodian agreements, "and you'll see that here as well, that these agreements, these countries, that they're going to trade with us, but they also take into account economic and national security considerations. Obviously, these countries are sovereign; it's not a question of forcing anyone to do anything, but taking into account U.S. national security considerations that impact trade."
All the frameworks also listed ways that the countries will remove non-tariff barriers and refrain from imposing digital services taxes or customs duties on electronic transmissions.