Push ahead on trade pacts

Opinion: April 13, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

Kansas City Star: In the nine-state region that includes Missouri and Kansas, exports have played an important role in reviving economic growth. That was one of the findings of a recent purchasing managers survey by Creighton University — and a reminder of the importance of international trade.

Last week’s news of progress on that front is encouraging. Colombia and the United States have reached a deal on changes to a pending free-trade pact, under which Colombia pledged to toughen protections for labor organizers.

The Obama administration has now negotiated changes in pending trade pacts with both Colombia and South Korea. A third pending deal is with Panama, and the breakthrough with Colombia is expected to spur Panama to also approve changes sought by Washington, involving increased tax transparency.

Republicans rightly say the administration should submit all three agreements as a package, reducing the risk that any of them wither on the shelf.

Colombian products are already duty-free when shipped to the United States. Under the proposed deal, most American exports to Colombia would be freed from tariffs. More than half of U.S. farm products, especially important in the Midwest, would be duty-free immediately, with the tariffs vanishing over 15 years.

President Barack Obama has said he wants to double exports, a worthy aspiration. To make it happen, Washington will have to pry open more overseas markets. Approving these agreements would be a big step in that direction.