US Department of Labor hosts first Labor Affairs Council meeting under US-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement

WASHINGTON — Senior officials of the U.S. Department of Labor and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative today issued a joint statement with their counterparts from the Government of Colombia following the first meeting of the Labor Affairs Council under the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement.

The council is responsible for overseeing the implementation and review of progress under the Labor Chapter of the Trade Promotion Agreement. At the meeting, officials reaffirmed their commitments under the Labor Chapter and discussed possible areas for future cooperation, efforts of the new Colombian Ministry of Labor to strengthen institutional capacity and labor law enforcement, and ongoing areas of particular concern.

"We look forward to continuing our close cooperation with Colombia on important labor issues of common interest and to working together to ensure full implementation of the Labor Chapter," said Acting Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris.

The joint statement is available in English and Spanish at:

• http://www.dol.gov/_Sec/media/speeches/20130605_US-Columbia.htm
• http://www.dol.gov/_Sec/media/speeches/20130605_US-Columbia-s.htm