    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book II)]
    [July 15, 2004]
    [Pages 1349-1350]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message to the Congress Transmitting Legislation To Implement the United
    States-Morocco Free Trade Agreement
    July 15, 2004

    To the Congress of the United States:
        I am pleased to transmit legislation and supporting documents
    prepared by my Administration to implement the United States-Morocco
    Free Trade Agreement (the ``Agreement'' or the ``FTA''). This Agreement
    enhances our bilateral relationship with a longstanding partner in the
    North Africa and Middle East region. The Agreement will benefit the
    people of the United States and Morocco, illustrating to other
    developing countries the advantages of open markets.
        This Agreement is a strong demonstration of my Administration's
    commitment to opening markets, leveling the playing field, and expanding
    opportunities for American workers, manufacturers, businesses, farmers,
    and consumers. In negotiating this Agreement, my Administration was
    guided by the negotiating objectives set out in the Trade Act of 2002.
    The Agreement will expand Morocco's market for U.S. manufactured goods,
    agricultural products, services, and investment. As soon as this
    Agreement enters into force, tariffs will be eliminated on virtually all
    manufactured goods traded between our countries.
        The Agreement provides U.S. producers of beef, poultry, wheat, corn,
    soybeans, and other agriculture products with increased access to
    Morocco's market, while complementing Morocco's agriculture reform
    program. In addition, the Agreement provides the opportunity for U.S.
    producers to adjust to increased imports from Morocco, if necessary.
        New opportunities for U.S. services firms will be opened, U.S.
    investment will be protected, and U.S. companies will be able to
    participate in government procurement opportunities on the same basis as
    Moroccan firms. This Agreement has some of the strongest intellectual
    property protections ever contained in a U.S. trade agreement with a
    developing country.
        The United States and Morocco have agreed to cooperate on
    environment and labor issues and to establish mechanisms supporting
    those efforts. Negotiation of this Agreement has promoted adoption of a
    new labor law in Morocco. This Agreement has also helped lead to
    improved domestic environmental laws in Morocco, and a number of
    additional cooperative projects have been identified for future work.
        The approval of this Agreement will be another important step in
    implementing our plan for a broader Middle East Free Trade Area. Indeed,
    this Agreement offers the United States an opportunity to encourage
    economic reform in a moderate Muslim nation, as we have done with the
    Jordan FTA and the recently concluded Bahrain FTA. Leaders in Morocco
    support a reformist and tolerant vision that includes

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    free parliamentary elections, the sale of state-owned businesses, the
    encouragement of foreign investment that can be connected to broad-based
    development, and better protection of the rights of women and workers.
    It is strongly in the interests of the United States to embrace these
    reforms and do what we can to encourage them. Passing this Agreement is
    a critical step in that direction.

                                                              George W. Bush

     The White House,

     July 15, 2004.