The realization of a Free Trade Area of the Americas requires a framework and forum for the negotiation and harmonization of trade between member countries. In the absence of this process, the United States and twelve of our hemispheric partners have successfully negotiated bilateral, and in the case of DR-CAFTA, sub-regional trade agreements.  

The U.S. has established or is negotiating trade agreements with over a third of the countries that were contemplated to make up the FTAA, which accounts for 16.6 trillion USD in collective GDP (PPP), 65% of the aggregate GDP of the countries included in the original FTAA, and over 36 billion USD in two-way trade with Florida. 

The complexities and disadvantages of a regional trade regime defined by several different agreements must be overcome in order to rationalize our trade relationships and make the most of Florida’s competitive advantage in the region.  At the encouragement of Florida FTAA, trade and foreign policy luminaries, including former U.S. Trade Representative and Under-Secretary of State Robert Zoellick, have called for a strategy of consolidating these free market democracies into a partnership to promote not just trade, but also development in the region and cooperation on a variety of issues from security, to energy and poverty alleviation. 

The idea of an “Alliance for Hemispheric Prosperity” (or an "Association of American Free Trade Agreements" as Robert Zoellick dubbed it in his Wall Street Journal article "Happily Ever AAFTA" ) with an expanded mandate to cover other critical areas is one that will likely be announced following Congressional consideration of the pending trade agreements. And within the context of the “Alliance” policy, there will be the need for a permanent forum for the harmonization of trade agreements, the negotiation of the entry of new member states, the arbitration of trade disputes, and the administration and oversight of the trade area. As Mr. Zoellick has stated, the logical headquarters for the alliance is Florida.