Trade Agreements and the WTO

Various trade agreements have created export opportunities for U.S. companies, and raised profits, employment, and wages in industries that serve expanding global markets. Meanwhile, WTO membership exerts influence on the U.S. government to keep our own market open to the global economy. American families benefit from this openness through access to a wider range of affordable goods and services, raising the real value of our paychecks. The competition from abroad spurs domestic producers to keep prices down, develop new and better products, and adopt more efficient production. The ability to import raw materials, capital equipment, and intermediate inputs, such as competitively priced steel and semiconductors, lowers the cost of production for U.S. producers and keeps them competitive in global markets.