On November 10, the United States and Ecuador held the third meeting of the United States-Ecuador Trade and Investment Council (TIC). The U.S. delegation was led by Deputy U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Michael Nemelka, and the Ecuadorian delegation was led by the Minister of Production, Foreign Trade, Investment, and Fisheries, Mr. Ivan Ontaneda. Both delegations included officials from trade and other regulatory agencies.
This meeting reflects the high priority both countries place on deepening trade and investment ties. Representatives of both countries discussed a range of trade and investment-related issues, including intellectual property, environment, labor, and trade in agriculture products.
They also discussed the implementation of an ambitious economic and trade agenda between Ecuador and the United States. Both countries reconfirmed their commitment to accelerating work under the U.S.-Ecuador TIC, including completion of negotiation of a Protocol on Trade Rules and Transparency, based on the high-standard provisions in recent U.S. and Ecuador trade agreements. The United States and Ecuador anticipate concluding these negotiations, which will include provisions on trade facilitation, good regulatory practices, anti-corruption, and cooperation on small and medium-sized enterprises, before the end of the year.
Both countries look forward to further deepening our engagement in 2021 and to convening the fourth meeting of the Trade and Investment Council in Quito, Ecuador.
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