RETAILERS CRITICIZE U.S. TEXTILE OFFER FOR SINGAPORE FREE TRADE DEAL

The Bush Administration faces potential opposition from retailers to a U.S.-Singapore free trade agreement if it does not improve on a restrictive market access offer on textiles and apparel. At the same time, however, textile manufacturers are backing an escape clause that would allow the U.S. to remove preferences on textiles if Singapore fails to adequately police against transshipment. The disagreement over textiles concessions surfaced in comments on a U.S.-Singapore free trade deal that were submitted to the office of...