According to a Joint Statement issued by the White House on November 13, 2025, the United States and the Republic of Ecuador have entered into a Framework for an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade to “provide access to each other’s markets and increase alignment on economic and national security matters.” As noted in a separate White House Fact Sheet, the bilateral framework agreement with Ecuador is one of several reached by the Trump administration in an effort to strengthen commercial and economic ties with a trading partner, and the latest in a series of such agreements with countries in Central America and South America.
While representatives from both countries continue to negotiate and finalize the formal agreement, the key terms as set forth in the Joint Statement will include:
- Ecuador’s commitment to reduce or eliminate tariffs in key sectors for the United States, including machinery, health products, information and communication technology goods, chemicals, motor vehicles and certain agricultural products. Ecuador will commit to establish tariff-rate quotas on several agricultural goods.
- The United States’ commitment to remove its reciprocal tariffs on “certain qualifying exports from Ecuador,” particularly those that “cannot be grown, mined, or naturally produced in the United States in sufficient quantities.” Currently, U.S. imports from Ecuador are subject to both the 10% baseline rate and an additional 5% country-specific rate under the reciprocal tariff regime.
- A pledge by Ecuador to address various non-tariff barriers that adversely impact “priority” U.S. goods, including by:
- Reforming its import licensing and facility registration systems for U.S. agricultural exports;
- Ending pre-shipment inspection mandates;
- Expanding its Authorized Economic Operator program to include express delivery carriers within three months;
- Addressing the intellectual property issues identified in the 2025 Special 301 Report published by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative;
- Strengthening enforcement of its labor laws, including a prohibition on the importation of goods made by forced labor;
- Improving forest sector governance and combating illegal logging;
- Implementing the World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies;
- Combatting illegal wildlife trade; and
- Committing not to introduce new discriminatory barriers to services, including by removing its barriers on advertising services.
- Ecuador’s commitment not to impose digital services taxes “that discriminate against U.S. companies,” including supporting a permanent, multilateral moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions.
- A joint pledge to address non-market policies, combat duty evasion, and to cooperate on investment security and export controls.