By Doug Palmer
Boeing chief urges quick US action on trade deals | Reuters
WASHINGTON, April 22 (Reuters) - The United States risks losing significant export sales to the European Union, Canada and other countries unless it approves three long-delayed free trade agreements with South Korea, Panama and Colombia, Boeing (BA.N) Chief Executive James McNerney said on Thursday.
"Action on these FTAs (free trade agreements), and some others coming down the line, is absolutely imperative in my view for our nation," said McNerney, who was recently picked by President Barack Obama to chair his Export Council.
"I'd get going right now" on the pacts, he added.
In a speech at the Woodrow Wilson Center, McNerney stressed the importance of open markets to U.S. economic growth and said every U.S. president since Franklin Roosevelt has had to rise to the challenge of forging coalitions to support free trade.
"I am hopeful that President Obama will use the power of his position to break through this gridlock that is holding our exporters and their workers back from winning new customers in new markets," McNerney said.
All three free trade deals were negotiated and signed during the second term of Obama's predecessor, George W. Bush.
The agreements have been blocked by Democrats' demands that Panama revamp its labor regime and tax haven laws, Colombia do more to reduce violence against trade unionists and South Korea make additional concessions to open its auto and manufactured goods markets to U.S. exports.
"They are languishing while our competitors are moving forward with our own FTAs with these countries and with new bilateral and regional negotiations to give their exporters and their workers a competitive edge," McNerney said.
Obama told business leaders last week he wanted to move forward
Other Treaties:
Panama - Taiwan Free Trade Agreement.
Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement: the Agreement will secure access to the government procurement market, including for the $5.4-billion expansion of the Panama Canal and other infrastructure projects.
Panamá - El Salvador
Panamá - República de China (ROC)
Panamá - Colombia
Panamá - República Dominicana
There are more than 180 Countries.