The U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement is a trade pact between Oman and the United States. On November 15, 2004, the George W. Bush administration notified the U.S. Congress of its intent to sign a trade agreement with the Middle Eastern Sultanate of Oman. On January 19, 2006 the two countries signed the U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement (OFTA), which is part of the Bush administration's strategy to create a

US - Middle East Free Trade Area The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

(MEFTA) by 2013. On June 29, 2006, the U.S. Senate passed OFTA by a vote of 60-34, the fewest "aye" votes in the Senate of any trade bill other than CAFTA. On July 20, 2006, the

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

passed OFTA by a vote of 221-205, with 7 abstentions. For procedural reasons, the Senate took a second vote on September 19, 2006, and the bill's implementing bill was passed 62-32, with 6 abstentions. In all, the Senate approved the bill 63-37, since all senators voted either "aye" or "nay" in one of the two votes.

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

signed the bill into law on September 26, 2006. And on December 29, 2008 signed the proclamation to implement the agreement with effective date of January 1, 2009.Presidential Proclamation of December 29, 2008
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Views in favor of OFTA

According to the

U.S. Trade Representative The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is an agency of the United States federal government responsible for developing and promoting American trade policy. Part of the Executive Office of the President, it is headed by the ...

's office and other proponents of the pact, OFTA is an important step towards reducing barriers to trade in goods and services in Oman.
USTR Site on OFTAEmergency Committee for American Trade Site on OFTAHouse Ways and Means Committee's Republican Leadership's Site on OFTA

See more

Rules of Origin Rules of origin are the rules to attribute a country of origin to a product in order to determine its "economic nationality". The need to establish rules of origin stems from the fact that the implementation of trade policy measures, such as tari ...

* Market access * Free-trade area * Tariffs

References

External links

U.S. House Ways and Means Committee Hearing on Oman FTACongressional Research Service Study on OFTAU.S. International Trade Commission Report on OFTAState Department Report on Human Trafficking in Oman
* ttp://files.e2ma.net/6237/assets/docs/oman_and_port_security_cd_memo_1_.pdf Congressional Research Service Memo on OFTA and port security issuesbr>Testimony on OFTA of David Hamod, National U.S.-Arab Chamber of CommerceJerusalem Post Story on OFTA and Oman's Observance of a Boycott of Israel
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oman-United States Free Trade Agreement Economy of Oman Free trade agreements of the United States Treaties of Oman Treaties concluded in 2006 Treaties entered into force in 2009 Oman–United States relations