BOGOTA, April 8 (UPI) -- A much-delayed free trade agreement between Colombia and the United States finally got the green light but left unanswered questions about benefits to U.S. business and key security issues.
Critics said the agreement was still weighted in favor of Colombia, which didn't offer some of the expected concessions to facilitate freer trade between the two strategic partners in South America's war on drugs.
The accord is a boon to South Florida, which has pinned hopes on greater trade flows boosting commerce and creating new jobs in the area.
The South Florida metropolitan area is the most populous urban concentration in southeastern United States, with a population of more than 5.5 million and incorporating the counties of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach.
U.S. President Barack Obama met with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos at the White House on Thursday and hailed the accord as a way of pushing forward long-stalled trade and economic exchanges.
"Finally we have got the green light," Santos said after meeting with Obama.
The free trade accord snagged -- surprisingly -- not on trade terms but on what the U.S. Congress saw as lack of Colombian assurances on protecting that country's labor unionists against violence.
Initially agreed in 2006 after long negotiations the agreement went smoothly through Colombian congress but faced opposition from U.S. lawmakers, who wanted greater safeguards for members of workers' unions in Colombian industries.
Although strong reservations remain over remedial measures by Colombia U.S. lawmakers agreed to continue working with Colombian counterparts to make sure stronger safeguards come into place to give unionists greater protection. Extreme violence against union members is endemic in Colombia despite army and police measures.
Under an action plan endorsed by Obama and Santos, Colombia will toughen its penal code and do more to bring attackers who target unionists to justice.
U.S. Congress members said the administration needs to bring the accord into law at the earliest to start reaping the benefits of the accord, including greater exports to Colombia and more jobs in the southern United States.
The longer the United States waist to pass the FTA, the more market share U.S. businesses will lose to foreign competitors, Congress members warned in published comments.
Some estimates said Florida could boost its trade to Colombia by at least $532 million. At present the two-way trade between the state and Colombia is estimated to be around $7.58 billion.
Critics of the free trade accord have advised caution and urged supporters not to be carried away with the breakthrough while the security situation for union workers in Colombia remains dangerous and unstable.
