Proposed Free Trade Areas - there are many proposals for establishing free trade areas in Asia or the Americas. The US has completed free trade agreements with a number of countries (seeUSTR web site); there is a free trade area among some countries in South America (Mercosur); etc. What are these proposals and what problems do they face? How will they affect the U.S.?; how will they affect countries that are not part of the free trade area? Are there any additional difficulties in enforcing free trade rules when economies in which the central government plays a large role are part of the free trade area? How have the various free trade agreements into which the U.S. has entered affected trade among the participating countries and employment in each country?