CAFTA-DR

The Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement, known as CAFTA-DR, is the comprehensive pact among the United Sates, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic. CAFTA-DR was implemented on a rolling basis. El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua joined in 2006, the Dominican Republic in 2007, and Costa Rica on January 1, 2009. The agreement was designed to level the playing field between the United States and the six CAFTA-DR trade partners.

As the agreement took effect with each country, more than half of U.S. farm exports gained immediate duty-free access, including high-quality cuts of beef, soybeans, cotton, wheat, many fruits and vegetables, and processed food products. Tariffs on most other U.S. farm products will be phased out within 15 years. All tariffs will be eliminated in 20 years.

As the populations of the CAFTA-DR countries grow and their economies expand, more and more people are entering he middle class, increasing food demand and creating trade and investment opportunities for the United States.

Additional information about the CAFTA-DR agreement is available from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.