Since the 8th Ministerial Meeting held in November 2003, Miami, USA, the FTAA negotiations have been stalled. 

Numerous attempts have since been made by some member states of the Hemisphere, such as Mexico, Canada, Jamaica and the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM) to have the Co-Chairs resume discussions with a view to a revival of the discussions towards an FTAA.

Participating Heads of State and Government, at the Fourth Summit of the Americas, held in Argentina, November 4-5, 2005, instructed the Officials responsible for trade negotiations to resume their meetings during 2006 in an effort to advance the negotiations within the framework adopted in Miami in November 2003. They also reiterated their commitment to achieving a balanced and comprehensive FTAA Agreement which takes account of the different levels of development of the parties. However, at the meeting some Member States, including members of MERCOSUR and Venezuela, indicated that, in their view, the necessary conditions were not yet in place for achieving a balanced and equitable free trade agreement with effective access to markets free of subsidies and trade-distorting practices. It is felt that this reservation may have contributed stalling the process.

It should be noted that Co-Chairs, Brazil and the United States, have signalled that they are still committed to the conclusion of the FTAA negotiations. However, it has been indicated, that the resumption of the FTAA negotiations will depend on progress in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Doha Round.  For Brazil, in particular, resumption of the FTAA negotiations depends on progress to remove farm subsidies in the USA in the WTO agriculture negotiations.

At the hemispheric level, the US has been forging ahead with separate bilateral trade agreements with several countries involved in the FTAA. It now seems that greater priority is being accorded to bilateral free trade agreements than to the hemispheric trade agreement. In fact, the USA has entered into or is negotiating FTAs with nearly all the beneficiary countries of the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI).

The reality is that economic and trade integration is now not just an option but an imperative for economic survival and national development, especially for small countries. Without integration, countries such as Jamaica will be marginalised in the international economy.

As a small developing country, Jamaica continues to face tremendous challenges in the international trade arena. However, we believe that through the FTAA there are expanded benefits to be gained from freer trade and significant opportunities for increased investment across the hemisphere. Jamaica therefore considers the FTAA an integral part of our strategic trade options as well as a means to create sustained economic development. We remain committed to the negotiation process, despite the difficulties.