CIEL continues its efforts to bring greater transparency and public participation to trade negotiations

January 29, 2004

CIEL supports the American Library Association and others by signing on to a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick urging access to information and transparency in bilateral and regional trade negotiations.

In a recent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, CIEL and others sent letters to the United States Trade Representative seeking texts of environmental and investment chapters
and related provisions that the United States has received, provided or negotiated with negotiating partners in any bilateral or regional free trade agreements since the beginning of 2003, as well as information regarding the need for and mechanisms to ensure secrecy surrounding such negotiations.

The letters request the following materials:

• Request for the texts of any environmental chapters or provisions the United States has provided to or received from negotiating partners in negotiations concerning any bi-lateral or regional free trade agreements since the beginning of 2003

• Request for information regarding the need for and mechanisms to ensure secrecy surrounding such negotiations

• Request for the texts of any investment chapters and provisions related to investment, including any negotiating proposals and any consolidated draft texts for such chapters or provisions, that the United States has received, provided or negotiated with negotiating partners in any bilateral or regional free trade agreements since the beginning of 2003

For more information, please contact Marcos Orellana.