Oversight of U.S. trade preference programs : hearing before the Committee on Finance, United States Senate, One Hundred Tenth Congress, second session, June 12, 2008.

Congress has created multiple trade preference programs designed to foster economic growth, reform and development in less developed countries. These programs give temporary, non-reciprocal, duty-free U.S. market access to select exports of eligible countries. Congress conducts regular oversight of these programs, repeatedly revising and extending them. This book discusses the major U.S. trade preference programs, their possible economic effects, stakeholder interests and legislative options

U.S. trade preference programs promote economic development in poorer nations by providing export opportunities. The Generalized System of Preferences, Caribbean Basin Initiative, Andean Trade Preference Act, and African Growth and Opportunity Act unilaterally reduce U.S. tariffs for many products from over 130 countries. However, 3 of these programs expire partially or in full in 2008, and Congress is exploring options as it considers renewal. This report reviews the programs¿ effects on the U.S. and on foreign beneficiaries¿ exports and development, identifies policy trade-offs concerning these programs, and evaluates the overall U.S. approach to preference programs. Includes recommendations. Charts and tables.

U.S. trade preference programs promote economic development in poorer nations by providing export opportunities. The Generalized System of Preferences, Caribbean Basin Initiative, Andean Trade Preference Act, and African Growth and Opportunity Act unilaterally reduce U.S. tariffs for many products from over 130 countries. However, three of these programs expire partially or in full this year, and Congress is exploring options as it considers renewal. The author was asked to review the programs' effects on the United States and on foreign beneficiaries' exports and development, identify policy trade-offs concerning these programs, and evaluate the overall U.S. approach to preference programs. To address these objectives, the authors analysed trade data, reviewed trade literature and program documents, interviewed U.S. officials, and did fieldwork in six countries. This is an excerpted and indexed version.