"US Trade with Colombia - Providing US Workers and Farmers with an Even Break "

Today the Rotary Club welcomed Charles Shapiro to the Club. Ambassador Shapiro was sworn in as Ambassador to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on February 25, 2002. Ambassador Shapiro is a 24-year veteran of the Foreign Service with wide experience in Latin American and the Caribbean. Abroad he has served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Santiago, Chile, Deputy Chief of Mission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Political Counselor in San Salvador, El Salvador, and Political Officer in Copenhagen, Denmark. Ambassador Shapiro's Washington assignments include Coordinator for Cuban Affairs, Executive Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Inter-American Affairs, Division Chief for South America in the Bureau of International Narcotics Matters, Deputy Director in the Office of Andean Affairs, and Desk Officer for El Salvador.

Ambassador Shapiro holds the rank of Minister Counselor in the Senior Foreign Service. He is the recipient of the Department of State Superior Honor Award and a Presidential Meritorious Service Award and was selected for the Department of State's 41st Senior Seminar.

Shapiro has gone on to become Deputy Assistant Secretary at the State Department, and now heads its free trade agreement task force. He spoke to the club about the recent passage of a free trade agreement with Peru and on-going efforts to pass similar agreements with Colombia and Panama.

Rotarians were surprised to learn that goods passing from Colombia into the United States are duty-free, yet products passing from the United States into Colombia can be heavily taxed. A 20% duty will be paid on a can of Pringles exported from the US to Colombia. Leaf tobacco from Kentucky will require an 80% duty to be paid. Astonishingly, a 100% duty must be paid on Miracle Grow shipped from Ohio where it is produced to Colombia. Such tax impositions inhibit trade with Colombia. Eliminating these taxes will enable US farmers and businesses to ship more goods to Colombia as they would then be able to compete with their foreign competitors. Increased export would result in an increase in jobs.

The trade agreement has been submitted to Congress though no action was taken on it before Congress adjourned for its summer break. Ambassador Shapiro is optimistic that the agreement will receive the attention that it needs with the Congress resumes activity in September. Once passed, attention will turn to similar agreements first for Panama, then for North Korea.