Washington Council on International Trade

Join WCIT

The Washington Council on International Trade (WCIT) is dedicated to expanding economic opportunities for Washington State. If your company seeks advocacy for trade, access to key officials and critical analysis of international trade policy developments, WCIT will provide your organization with the necessary support. Click here for more information.

A Word from the President

International Trade has long been a controversial subject. But much of our current national discussion and rhetoric on trade is downright harmful to Washington State’s economic interests. Read more.

The Washington State/U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement Coalition

Co-chairs:
Washington Farm Bureau - Microsoft Corporation

The Washington State/U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement Coalition is a state-wide coalition to support Congressional passage of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement.

The U.S.-Korea FTA is the most commercially significant U.S. trade deal in 15 years. U.S. exporters of manufactured goods and agricultural products will no longer face high or prohibitive tariffs when entering the Korean market. Nearly 95 percent of U.S. manufactured exports will face zero duties after three years. On day one of the FTAs implementation, two-thirds of U.S. agricultural products will enter the Korean market duty free, a clear win for Washington state producers of wheat, soybeans, potatoes, cherries, and beef. Processed agriculture from Washington State wines to coffee exports will similarly gain from major tariff reductions.

For U.S. services providers, from telecommunications, insurance, information technology, entertainment and financial services, the agreement represents a big win in terms of new market access opportunities. For Washington's high-tech industries, the agreement also strengthens protections for intellectual property by deterring piracy and unauthorized sharing of music, video and software and other content over the Internet. This is vital in Korea, where broadband access is even more widespread than in the United States.

Washington's ports, already benefiting from a strong trade relationship with Korea, should see a significant increase in traffic once the FTA enters into force. Greater business means more people and cargo travelling between Seattle and Seoul, supporting more jobs here at home.

For trade-dependent Washington State, this agreement provides a wealth of new opportunities in the Korean market and beyond.

Coalition members will be sent regular updates on the consideration of the FTA and invited to FTA-related events.

The U.S.-Korea FTA is a clear winner for Washington

Our agricultural producers, service providers and manufacturers all gain competitive benefits from this agreement. Make sure your representatives in Washington D.C. know that their constituents support the Korea Free Trade Agreement.