CPA Principles

Constitutional Trade Agreement Power: CPA supports Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution which empowers the Legislative Branch with full authority to regulate commerce with foreign nations. We oppose any transfer of that authority to the Executive Branch.

Sovereignty: CPA supports American sovereignty based upon our Constitution which defines the authority of national, state and local governments in making laws improving the general health and welfare of American citizens. We oppose trade policies that allow international bodies to usurp or replace these democratically derived sovereign powers.

Economic Regulation: CPA supports the right of all countries to transparently regulate their currency, tax regimes and domestic policies in a nondiscriminatory manner. We also support the right of countries to respond appropriately to trading partner policies that distort trade.

Human Rights: CPA supports human rights. We oppose trade policies that facilitate or fail to effectively address violations of human rights, including, but not limited to encouraging or financing any form of labor abuse.

Balanced Trade: CPA supports balanced trade. We oppose trade policies resulting in substantially unbalanced trade flows.

Environment:
CPA supports trade that is environmentally neutral or beneficial.

Food Safety: CPA supports fully implementing U.S. food safety rules upon imported food for consumption by American consumers. We oppose food importation that increases food safety risks by bypassing domestic food safety regulations and inspections.

National Security: CPA supports the right of all countries to preserve their national security, including defense, food security and other vital national interests.

Competition Policy: CPA supports the right of all countries to preserve competition and restrict anti-competitive conduct and combinations. We oppose trade policy that fails to recognize the trade distroting impacts of government sponsored or condoned monopolies, cartels, or price manipulation in international trade.

Rule of Origin: CPA supports harmonized rules of origin that accurately reveal, rather than concel, the origin of goods. We further support positive identification and traceability of source of origin for all food, materials and products in international trade.

Check out CPA's Policies