The Economic & Trade Affairs of the Embassy of Israel aims to promote and facilitate trade and investment between Israel and the United States, and to enhance bilateral commercial relations. For this purpose, it works closely with the U.S. federal governmental and public bodies such as the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and the Department of Commerce.
The Economic & Trade Affairs of the Embassy of Israel has specific responsibility for promoting bilateral trade with the District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Delaware, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina. Economic & Trade Affairs in New York City, San Francisco and Houston, are responsible for the remaining thirty seven states.
In addition, it supports the efforts of Israeli companies to be awarded contracts financed by the World Bank and the Interamerican Development Bank (IDB).
United States-Israel Bilateral Trade
On April 22, 1985, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and the Israeli Minister of Industry and Trade signed the U.S.-Israel Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The Agreement entered into force in September 1985 after it was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives by a 422-0 vote and by a voice vote in the U.S. Senate. The FTA was the U.S.’s first bilateral free trade agreement and Israel’s second (following Israel’s free trade agreement with the European Community, which was signed in 1975).