US, Ecuador To Establish Fair Trade Working Group - US Trade Representative

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd November, 2022) The United States and Ecuador agreed on Tuesday to establish a Fair Trade Working Group and to explore negotiations on digital trade, labor, and environment, according to a statement released by US Trade representative Katherine Tai.

"The leaders agreed to establish a Fair Trade Working Group and explore potential negotiations on labor, environment, and digital trade. In addition, Ambassador Tai and Minister Prado agreed to consider possible sectoral approaches in future engagement," according to the statement.

The agreement comes after a meeting between Tai and Prado in Washington last Friday.

"The protocol is a centerpiece of the bilateral work achieved under the Trade and Investment Council (TIC) and new negotiations intend to pursue a worker-centered trade policy that fosters greater trade, investment, and cooperation between both countries," the USTR said in its statement.

The sides also agreed to hold a new Trade and Investment Council meeting in the first half of 2023 to review developments.

The Trade Investment Council between Ecuador and the US was� established in 1990 and updated in 2021, with some of the top US imports from Ecuador including petroleum fuels, fish, and edible fruits.