Top U.S. Export Markets: Free Trade Agreement and Country Fact Sheets

Market Access and Compliance (MAC), a unit of the International Trade Administration, works to increase access to foreign markets for American firms and workers and ensures that foreign nations comply with trade agreements signed with the United States. MAC identifies and overcomes foreign barriers to U.S. exports, and enables U.S. firms to better compete in foreign markets. MAC also helps U.S. exporters, especially small and medium-sized firms, receive the full benefits of trade agreements. Common trade problems include

• tariff and customs barriers
• intellectual property protection
• standards, testing, laboratory, and certification barriers
• rules of origin
• government procurement contract barriers
• service barriers
• excessive government requirements
• excessive testing or licensing fees
• investment barriers
• bribery

MAC consists of five major operating units: Europe; Western Hemisphere; Asia; Africa, Middle East, and South Asia; and Trade Agreements and Compliance. MAC not only resolves market access barriers, but also actively participates in developing U.S. trade policy, assists negotiations of bilateral and multilateral trade agreements, and supports U.S. foreign policy goals.