Andean Trade Preference Act

The ATPA is a unilateral trade benefit program designed to promote economic
development through private sector initiative in the four Andean countries
of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. The ATPA encourages alternatives
to coca cultivation and production by offering broader access to the U.S.
market. The Act also seeks to stimulate investment in nontraditional
sectors and to diversify the Andean countries' export base. The primary
provision of the program is expanded duty-free entry into the United
States. The Administration must determine each country's eligibility based
on criteria set forth in the Act. Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru
have been designated as beneficiaries. The ATPA became effective in
December 1991 and is due to expire in December 2001. The Act requires
periodic assessments of the impact of the trade preferences by the U.S.
International Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Labor.