Congress to let U.S. trade benefits for Ecuador expire
Congress to let U.S. trade benefits for Ecuador expire
Reuters
4:12 p.m. EDT, July 25, 2013
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Ecuador, which renounced longtime U.S. trade benefits last month, is on the verge of getting its wish when the program expires next week, congressional aides said on Thursday.
Key committees in both the Senate and the House of Representatives have no plans to move legislation to renew the 22-year-old Andean Trade Preference Act, the aides said.
Ecuador, which angered U.S. lawmakers by flirting with offering asylum to former U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden, has received duty-free treatment for many of its goods since 1991 under the Andean program.
After a senior U.S. lawmaker threatened Congress would revoke the trade benefits if Ecuador took in Snowden, who is wanted by the United States for revealing details of its intelligence programs, Ecuador responded by renouncing the benefits.
More:
http://www.courant.com/news/politics/sns-rt-us-usa-ecuador-trade-20130725,0,1063629.story
