Ministerial
Declaration of Quito
Seventh Meeting of Ministers of Trade of the
Hemisphere
Quito, November 1, 2002
1. We, the
Ministers Responsible for Trade in the
Hemisphere, representing the 34 countries
participating in the negotiations of the
Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) held
our Seventh Ministerial Meeting in Quito,
Ecuador, on 1 November 2002 with the intent
to review progress in the FTAA negotiations
so as to establish guidelines for the next
phase of these negotiations, which are to
conclude no later than January 2005 in
accordance with the terms agreed by our
Heads of State and Government at the Third
Summit of the Americas, held in Quebec City
in April 2001, and to seek its entry into
force as soon as possible thereafter, but in
any case no later than December 2005, and we
commit ourselves to meeting these
goals.*
2. We
recognize the significant contribution that
economic integration, principally through
the FTAA, will make to the attainment of the
objectives established in the Summit of the
Americas process, including strengthening
democracy, creating prosperity and realizing
human potential. We reiterate that the
negotiation of the FTAA will take into
account the broad social and economic agenda
contained in the Miami, Santiago and Quebec
City Declarations and Plans of Action with a
view to contributing to raising living
standards, increasing employment, improving
the working conditions of all people in the
Americas, improving the levels of health and
education and better protecting the
environment.
3. We note
with satisfaction that the process of
building the FTAA advanced in this, the
third, 18-month phase, under the
chairmanship of the Republic of Ecuador
despite the deterioration in current global
and hemispheric economic conditions and
heightened international tensions in the
political and social arenas that have been
evidenced in recent times. We register our
concern over this situation, which is
characterized by a decline in international
trade and investment flows. We reiterate our
commitment to avoid, to the extent possible,
adopting policies or measures that may
adversely affect regional trade and
investment. With the intent of contributing
to the expansion of world trade, we reaffirm
our commitment that the results of the FTAA
shall not raise additional barriers to other
countries.
4. Among the
achievements of this third phase of
negotiations we wish to single out the
fulfillment of tasks necessary for
fulfilling the terms of the Buenos Aires
Ministerial Declaration, fundamentally the
elaboration of a second draft of the
consolidated chapters prepared by the
Negotiating Groups and the preliminary work
of the Technical Committee on Institutional
Issues (TCI) on the general and
institutional aspects of the future FTAA
Agreement, the initiation of market access
negotiations in agricultural and non-agricultural
goods, services, investment, and government
procurement on 15 May 2002; the approval of
the methods and modalities for negotiation
to be applied in the next phase of the
process and setting of the timetable for the
exchange of market access offers with
initial offers beginning on 15 December
2002;1
the definition of modalities on the
notification of the base tariff, the
approval of the guidelines or directives for
the treatment of differences in levels of
development and size of the economies; and
the Hemispheric Cooperation Program (HCP)
which is attached in Annex III to this
Declaration.
5. We reaffirm
the principles and objectives that have
guided our work since the First Summit of
the Americas, in particular, the basic
principle of consensus in decision making
within the FTAA process and the achievement
of a balanced and comprehensive agreement
that is also consistent with the rules and
disciplines of the World Trade Organization
(WTO). We reaffirm that the result of the
FTAA negotiations shall constitute a
comprehensive single undertaking that
incorporates the rights and obligations that
are mutually agreed for all member countries.
We reiterate that the FTAA can coexist with
bilateral and sub-regional agreements, to
the extent that the rights and obligations
under these agreements are not covered by or
go beyond the rights and obligations of the
FTAA. We confirm the importance of making
continuous, balanced, and substantial
progress in all subject areas under
negotiation, and also reiterate the need for
the negotiating process to be conducted in a
transparent and flexible manner so that all
FTAA countries consider the results of the
negotiating process to be balanced. We also
reiterate that the rights and obligations of
the FTAA shall be shared by all the
countries.
6. We reaffirm
our commitment to take into account in
designing the FTAA, the differences in
levels of development and size of economies
in the Hemisphere, in order to ensure that
these economies participate fully in the
building of, and benefits resulting from,
the Agreement and to create opportunities
for these countries. We therefore welcome
the incorporation of this commitment in
document FTAA.TNC/20/Rev.1 as one of the
general principles of the methods and
modalities for the negotiations in the areas
of market access, agriculture, investment,
services, and government procurement.
7. We
reiterate that one of our general objectives
is to strive to make our trade
liberalization and environmental policies
mutually supportive, taking into account
work undertaken by the World Trade
Organization and other international
organizations, and to promote sustainable
development in the Hemisphere.
8. We further
recognize the importance of strengthening
throughout the Hemisphere, national actions
and cooperation in order to ensure that the
benefits of trade liberalization, the
protection of the environment, and human
health are mutually supportive.
9. We also
propose to secure, in accordance with our
respective laws and regulations, the
observance and promotion of internationally-recognized
core labor standards, renewing our
commitment to observe the International
Labour Organization (ILO) 1998 Declaration
on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work
and its Follow-up, acknowledging that this
organization is the competent body to
promote, set and deal with these core labor
standards.
10. We note
that the Inter-American Conference of
Ministers of Labor (IACML), acting on the
Declaration and the Plan of Action of the
Quebec City Summit, established at its
Ottawa Conference (2001) a Working Group on
the Labor Dimensions of the Summit of the
Americas process, to examine inter alia
questions of globalization related to
employment and labor, and we would
appreciate receiving a report on the results
thereof.
11. We reject
the use of labor or environmental standards
for protectionist purposes. Most Ministers
recognized that environmental and labor
issues should not be utilized as
conditionalities nor subject to disciplines,
the non-compliance of which can be subject
to trade restrictions or sanctions.
12. We
consider that the establishment of the FTAA,
through increased trade flows, trade
liberalization and investment in the
Hemisphere, shall contribute to growth, job
creation, higher standards of living,
greater opportunities, and poverty reduction
in the Hemisphere. For this to be possible,
the establishment of the FTAA shall promote
the application of policies oriented to
economic development, promoting the
generation of employment and the effective
operation of labor markets in the Hemisphere.
13. We also
recognize the importance of encouraging the
promotion of financial policies that are
conducive to the growth of hemispheric trade
and investment, which could help address the
external debt problem of some countries in
the Hemisphere.
14. We also
recognize the progress achieved in the
implementation of the obligations assumed by
our governments within the context of the
Uruguay Round of multilateral trade
negotiations, as well as the activities
associated with the work program agreed at
the Fourth Ministerial Conference of the
World Trade Organization, which took place
in Doha, in November, 2001. We reaffirm our
commitment to complete the negotiation of
the Doha Development Agenda by January 2005.
Given that the FTAA will be compatible with
and will build on the WTO, where possible,
our negotiations must take cognizance of the
ongoing developments in the WTO, which
constitute part of the Doha Agenda. In this
regard we attach importance to achieving the
objectives of particular interest to FTAA
countries.
15. We ratify
the importance of agriculture for the
economies of the region, the integral and
non-discriminatory treatment of which in the
FTAA negotiations will contribute to
generating employment, reducing poverty and
fostering social stability. We reaffirm the
hemispheric commitment to the elimination of
export subsidies affecting trade in
agricultural products in the Hemisphere and
to the development of disciplines to be
adopted for the treatment of all the other
practices that distort trade in agricultural
products, including those which have an
equivalent effect to agricultural export
subsidies, and to make substantive progress
in the market access negotiations. We
recognize that, in a global market, we must
have significant results in the negotiations
on agriculture, both in the FTAA and in the
WTO. In this context, we must also take into
account the practices by third countries
that distort world trade in agricultural
products. We also recognize that our
respective evaluation by country or group of
countries, of the results in the market
access negotiations in agriculture in the
FTAA will depend on the progress we can
reach in other subjects that are part of the
agriculture agenda. In order that the Trade
Negotiations Committee (TNC) can achieve its
objective of ensuring balanced progress and
the timely conclusion of the negotiations,
we instruct the Negotiating Group on
Agriculture (NGAG) to intensify its work
with the view to presenting to the TNC,
before its fourteenth meeting, a report on
the progress achieved in all the subjects
under consideration by the NGAG.
16.
Recognizing the importance of this issue, we
reiterate the instruction issued to the
Negotiating Group on Subsidies, Antidumping
and Countervailing Duties (NGADCV) in Buenos
Aires in 2001, to intensify efforts to reach
a common understanding with a view to
improving, where possible, the rules and
procedures for the operation and enforcement
of the trade remedy laws.
17. We welcome
the guidelines and directives for the
treatment of the differences in the levels
of development and size of
economies.2
We instruct the TNC to ensure that all the
negotiating groups, in particular those
undertaking market access negotiations,
translate these guidelines into specific
measures so that they are reflected in the
results of the negotiations. Furthermore, we
instruct the TNC, with the support of the
Consultative Group on Smaller Economies (CGSE)
and the Tripartite Committee, to report to
us at our next meeting on the results of the
progress achieved in relation to the
treatment of differences in the levels of
development and size of economies in each of
the Negotiating Groups.
18. In support
of the FTAA, we approve the
Hemispheric Cooperation
Program as a priority of all our
governments. The Program is intended to
strengthen the capacities of those countries
seeking assistance to participate in the
negotiations, implement their trade
commitments, and address the challenges and
maximize the benefits of hemispheric
integration, including productive capacity
and competitiveness in the region. We note
that the Program includes a mechanism to
assist these countries to develop national
and/or sub-regional trade capacity building
strategies that define, prioritize and
articulate their needs and programs pursuant
to those strategies, and to identify sources
of financial and non-financial support. We
instruct the TNC, with the support of the
CGSE, to supervise the HCP. We commit to
complete national and/or sub-regional trade
capacity building strategies and the related
programs in order to make expeditious
progress under the HCP, and to assist in the
identification of predictable and
multifaceted sources of financial and non-financial
support for meeting the objectives of the
HCP. While these strategies are being
prepared, the HCP will also respond to
immediate assistance needs for the purpose
of strengthening the participation of
countries in the negotiations. We further
instruct the TNC, with the support of the
Tripartite Committee, to facilitate meetings
of the CGSE, inviting appropriate
development and financial officials,
international financial institutions,
international agencies, and interested
private entities, to discuss financing and
implementation of the HCP and to report to
us at our next meeting.
Guidance on
the Negotiations to Create the FTAA
19. We
underscore the importance of the TNC having
provided initial guidance on the methods and
modalities for the negotiations, which have
enabled the negotiations to begin on market
access for agricultural and non-agricultural
goods, services, investment, and government
procurement and we instruct the TNC to
continue to provide guidance on this issue.
We also note the progress made by the
different negotiating groups and committees,
which will play a decisive role in
completing the negotiations. All
negotiations shall be conducted in a
transparent manner to ensure mutual
advantage and increased benefits to all FTAA
participants. We note the discussion on the
methods for making tariff concessions and
instruct the TNC to continue its discussion
on principles, including the regional most-favored-nation
(MFN) principle, to guide the negotiations.
We reiterate that, in the development of
offers, the negotiations shall give
expression to the differences in the levels
of development and size of economies.
20. We
instruct the TNC and other FTAA entities to
work at a pace that meets the deadlines that
have been set and taking into account the
capacity, concerns, and interests of the
participating countries including the
differences in the levels of development and
size of the economies. We reiterate the
importance of ensuring that progress is made
in all the Negotiating Groups, in conformity
with the general principles agreed at our
meeting in San Jose.
21. In order
to meet the deadlines to secure the entry
into force of the FTAA Agreement, the
Negotiating Groups should develop work
programs consistent with the timetables for
the exchange of initial offers established
by the TNC; that is, between 15 December
2002 and 15 February 2003. We encourage the
Groups to present comprehensive offers that
contribute effectively to the liberalization
of hemispheric trade, taking into account
treatment according to the differences in
levels of development and size of economies.
This will facilitate the review of offers
and submission of requests for improvements
to offers between 16 February and 15 June
2003. We also remind countries that they
should initiate the process for the
presentation of revised offers and
subsequent negotiations on improvements as
of 15 July 2003. We instruct the TNC to
supervise the process of presentation of
offers on market access in the five
negotiating groups dealing with this issue (NGMA,
NGAG, NGSV, NGIN, and NGGP), taking into
account the need to ensure confidentiality
of the offers, and at the same time
recognizing the multilateral nature and
transparency of the process. We instruct the
TNC to review the process of presentation of
offers, with the objective of verifying
progress in the market access
negotiations and evaluating the offers as a
whole. The Chairs of these
Negotiating Groups shall also present to the
TNC periodic reports on the progress they
have made in these areas.
22. We
instruct the TNC, the Negotiating Groups,
and the Technical Committee on Institutional
Issues to achieve consensus on the greatest
possible number of issues in each of the
draft chapters of the FTAA Agreement.
Delegations should seek the appropriate
guidance on an ongoing basis in order to
resolve differences in an expeditious manner.
The Negotiating Groups and TCI are
instructed to submit to the TNC before its
fourteenth meeting a revised version of the
chapters for the TNC’s consideration and
guidance. They are instructed to submit a
new version of the chapters to the TNC no
later than eight weeks before our next
meeting at the end of 2003.
23. We
reaffirm the role of the TNC as the
executive body of the negotiating process
and direct it to intensify its efforts to
guide the overall negotiating process. The
overall management of the process includes,
inter alia, guiding the work of the
different FTAA entities, while striving to
maintain steady progress in all negotiating
areas, in accordance with their objectives
and mandates; deciding on the overall
architecture of the FTAA Agreement - general
and institutional aspects -, and ensuring
that the agreement is internally consistent;
supervising the general work of the
Technical Committee on Institutional Issues;
ensuring the transparency of the negotiating
process; supervising the work of the
Administrative Secretariat; supervising the
work of the Sub-Committee on Budget and
Administration; supervising requests made to
the Tripartite Committee, establishing
priorities, where necessary; continuing to
analyze the treatment of differences in the
level of development and size of the
economies of the Hemisphere; ensuring the
successful implementation of the Hemispheric
Cooperation Program; and facilitating a
meeting of appropriate development and
financial institutions and agencies to
discuss the financing and implementation of
the HCP.
24. We
instruct the TNC to undertake an evaluation
of progress in the negotiations and
formulate the guidance that it considers
necessary for the Negotiating Groups to
fulfill the general and specific objectives
within their respective mandates, for the
purpose of seeking to ensure progress,
timely conclusion and a balanced result of
the negotiations. We also instruct the TNC
to present us with a report at our next
meeting that includes its overview of the
negotiation and the fulfillment of the
mandates issued to the Negotiating Groups.
In pursuance of this objective, we instruct
the Co-Chairs of the TNC to include these
issues as a standing item on its agenda for
future meetings.
25. We
reiterate our instructions to the TNC to
continue to identify links between the FTAA
entities, specifying the appropriate
procedures for ensuring effective and timely
coordination.
26. We
instruct the TNC to assess, in consultation
with the Negotiating Groups, on an ongoing
basis, whether there is a need to create new
negotiating groups or sub-groups, where
appropriate, taking into account the
progress achieved by existing Groups.
27. We
instruct the TNC to convene at least three
meetings before the next Ministerial
Meeting; the meetings shall be held in the
cities of Port of Spain, San Salvador, and
Puebla, respectively.
Rotation of
Chairs and Vice Chairs
28. We
recognize the work completed by the Chairs
and Vice Chairs of the different Negotiating
Groups and other FTAA entities during this
phase of the negotiations, whose support has
been crucial to the advances made in the
process. In accordance with the terms agreed
at the San Jose Meeting, we approve the new
roster of Chairs and Vice Chairs for the
various FTAA entities who will serve during
the next phase of negotiations, which is
submitted herewith as
Annex II. In the case of the resignation
or permanent absence of a Chair of an FTAA
entity, the Vice Chair will act as Chair.
Likewise, the existing Chairs may preside
over the entity concerned for an additional
period. In our next meeting, a new roster of
Chairs and Vice Chairs will be approved.
Transparency
and the Participation of Civil Society
29. We
reaffirm our commitment to the principle of
transparency in the FTAA process and
recognize the need to enhance and sustain
participation of the different sectors of
civil society in the hemispheric initiative.
30. In
accordance with our commitment to
transparency assumed at the Santiago and
Quebec City Summits, we agree to publish the
second draft of the FTAA Agreement on the
official FTAA website in the four official
languages today.
31. We
appreciate the views that various sectors of
civil society have provided us in the last
year and a half and especially in parallel
to the Nicaragua and Dominican Republic Vice
Ministerial meetings and, within the
framework of this meeting. We appreciate the
recommendations made by the Seventh Americas
Business Forum and the Civil Society Fora,
organized with a broad representation of
civil society, with whom we met in Quito. We
encourage the holding of similar events
organized parallel to the Ministerial and
Vice Ministerial meetings with a broad
representation of civil society. We also
recall our meeting with civil society within
the framework of the Quebec City Summit of
the Americas. The views expressed constitute
a valuable contribution to the negotiations,
and we urge civil society to continue to
make contributions in a constructive manner
on trade-related issues of relevance to the
FTAA.
32. Likewise,
we encourage the organization of regional
and national seminars related to the process
of establishing the FTAA. We welcome the
results of the various national seminars
organized by FTAA countries and the North
American regional seminar held in Merida,
Mexico. We also take note of the fora and
seminars on FTAA negotiations that different
civil society organizations have carried out
in the countries of the region and we invite
them to present the conclusions of their
work to the Committee of Government
Representatives on the Participation of
Civil Society (the Committee).
33. We
reiterate the need to increase participation
of the various civil society sectors in this
hemispheric initiative, and likewise we
instruct the Committee to foster a process
of increased and sustained two-way
communication with civil society to ensure
that it has a clear perception of the
development of the FTAA negotiation process.
We also reiterate that all the FTAA entities,
including the TNC, are to issue public
statements at the conclusion of each of
their meetings, and we instruct the TNC to
provide guidance to the entities so as to
ensure a substantial increase in the quality
of the information provided. To this end, we
instruct the Committee to continue its work
to keep promoting transparency, and to
identify and foster the use of best
practices for outreach and consultation with
civil society. We also instruct the TNC to
ensure the timely improvement of the
official FTAA website and the incorporation
of more information on the FTAA process. We
further exhort all countries in the
Hemisphere to strengthen and deepen their
consultation process with civil society at
the national level.
34. We are
grateful for the contributions received in
response to the Third Open and Permanent
Invitation that were provided on an ongoing
basis to the Negotiating Groups and other
entities and we reiterate our instruction to
the Committee to continue to forward to the
FTAA entities the contributions submitted by
civil society that refer to their respective
issue areas, and those related to the FTAA
process in general.
35. We
consider that the Committee is an important
mechanism for fulfilling our commitment to
transparency and we instruct the Committee
to continue its work. We welcome the Third
Report, which describes the activities of
the Committee as well as the range of
contributions received during this phase. We
also instruct that the Third Report of the
Committee be published on the official FTAA
website. We further instruct this Committee
to continue to forward contributions to FTAA
entities as well as to submit a new report
for our next meeting outlining its
activities and the range of views it has
received from individuals and organizations
in the Hemisphere.
Electronic
Commerce
36. We have
received, with appreciation, the Third
Report of the Joint Government-Private
Sector Committee of Experts on Electronic
Commerce (Joint Committee) with
recommendations on how to expand and broaden
the benefits of electronic commerce for the
Western Hemisphere. We instruct that the
Third Report of the Committee be published
on the official FTAA website, and sent to
the relevant Negotiating Groups for their
consideration.
Tripartite
Committee
37. Once again,
we express our appreciation for the support
provided by the Tripartite Committee (the
Inter-American Development Bank, the
Organization of American States, and the
United Nations Economic Commission for Latin
America and the Caribbean) to the FTAA
negotiations in general and, to the
different FTAA entities, in particular. We
recognize their technical, analytical, and
financial contribution to the hemispheric
integration process. We encourage the
Tripartite Committee to continue to support
the negotiations and reiterate the need for
their continued collaboration in the stage
of negotiations that begins as of this day.
FTAA
Administrative Secretariat
38. We
appreciate the invaluable and substantial
support provided by the Government of the
Republic of Panama, the private sector, and
community to the Administrative Secretariat
for the duration of its operations in Panama
City. We recognize the logistical support
for negotiations provided by the
Administrative Secretariat. We take note of
the progress made in preparing for the
transfer of the Administrative Secretariat
to Puebla, Mexico, and convey our highest
appreciation to the Government of Mexico and
the Tripartite Committee for the steps taken
to cover the costs of the transfer of the
Administrative Secretariat and its future
operation in the city of Puebla during the
final stage of the negotiations.
Recognition
39. We thank
Nicaragua, Venezuela, Panama, and the
Dominican Republic for organizing the
meetings of the TNC and the Republic of
Ecuador for serving as Chair of the FTAA
during this third phase of negotiations and
for the organization of this Seventh
Ministerial Meeting.
Future
Meetings
40. We shall
hold in this final period, which runs from
November 2002 to January 2005, two meetings
of the Ministers Responsible for Trade;
i.e., in the fourth quarter of 2003 in
Miami, United States, and in 2004 in Brazil.
ANNEX I
GENERAL
INSTRUCTIONS
1. We instruct
all of the Negotiating Groups to take
careful cognizance of all of the general
instructions to the Negotiating Groups
contained in Annex I of the Buenos Aires
Ministerial Declaration and in other FTAA
Ministerial Declarations and to
conscientiously carry out those instructions
and mandates.
2 We instruct
all the Negotiating Groups to collaborate
with the Consultative Group on Smaller
Economics (CGSE) in the implementation of
the Hemispheric Cooperation Program (HCP).
We instruct all the Negotiating Groups to
include in their reports to the Trade
Negotiations Committee (TNC) a section on
the treatment accorded to the issue of the
differences in the levels of development and
size of economies. We also reiterate to the
Chairs of the FTAA Negotiating Groups and
other entities, the need to maintain a
timely and adequate flow of information with
the Chair of the Consultative Group on
Smaller Economies, with a view to
facilitating the analysis and follow-up of
the progress of the negotiations, in
particular proposals on the treatment of
differences in the levels of development and
size of economies.
3. We
instruct the Negotiating Groups on Market
Access, Agriculture, Services, Investment,
and Government Procurement to carry out an
ongoing discussion of methods and modalities
for negotiations in order to facilitate the
process of presenting revised offers and
that the Chairs of these Groups keep the TNC
apprised of the results of their discussions.
4. We
reiterate to those negotiating groups
drafting special dispute settlement
provisions to submit their proposals to the
Negotiating Group on Dispute Settlement (NGDS)
in order that this Group may consider, in
coordination with these negotiating groups,
the compatibility of the provisions with the
rules drafted in this area and present their
conclusions to the TNC for its consideration,
or to the Technical Committee on
Institutional Issues (TCI), where
appropriate.
5. We instruct
the Chairs of the Negotiating Groups and
other FTAA entities to present a work
program covering the negotiating period at
the first meeting of their respective groups.
6. We instruct
the Chairs of the Negotiating Groups and
other FTAA entities to further refine their
reports to the Trade Negotiations Committee,
with regard to those points on which there
is no agreement within the Groups and which
require a decision of the TNC. The reports
shall provide a clear description of the
differences in positions, indicating
alternatives where possible. These reports
shall be instrumental in enabling the TNC to
fulfill its role as the executive body of
the negotiating process, which includes,
inter alia, guiding the work of the
different FTAA entities, while striving to
maintain balanced progress in all
negotiating areas, in accordance with their
objectives and mandates.
NEGOTIATING GROUP ON MARKET ACCESS (NGMA)
1. We instruct
the NGMA to pursue its work in such a manner
as to ensure that progress is made on all
the issues for which it is responsible.
2. We instruct
the Chair of the NGMA to continue to
collaborate with the Chair of the NGAG. The
results of this collaboration shall be
reported to the TNC by the Chair of NGMA at
future meetings.
3. We
reiterate our instruction to the NGMA to
complete the Hemispheric Database and keep
it updated.
NEGOTIATING GROUP ON AGRICULTURE (NGAG)
1. We instruct
the NGAG to pursue its work in such a manner
as to ensure that progress is made on all
the issues for which it is responsible.
2. We instruct
the Chair of the NGAG to continue to
collaborate with the Chair of the NGMA. The
results of this collaboration shall be
reported to the TNC by the Chair of NGAG at
future meetings.
3. We instruct
the NGAG to continue the process of
notification and counter-notification of
sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures. A
notification and counter-notification status
report shall be submitted by the Chair of
the NGAG to the TNC.
4. We
instruct the NGAG to work towards drafting a
text on sanitary and phytosanitary measures
(SPS) in the FTAA, with a view to
facilitating the full implementation of the
WTO SPS Agreement in the Hemisphere, and
that the Chair provide a status report to
the TNC.
5. We
reiterate our instruction to the NGAG to
complete the Hemispheric Database and keep
it updated.
JOINT GOVERNMENT-PRIVATE SECTOR COMMITTEE OF
EXPERTS ON ELECTRONIC COMMERCE (ECOM)
1. We have
decided to suspend temporarily the
activities of the Joint Government-Private
Sector Committee of Experts on Electronic
Commerce and authorize the TNC to reactivate
it when and how the TNC deems it necessary.
ANNEX II
LIST OF CHAIRS
AND VICE-CHAIRS FOR FTAA NEGOTIATING GROUPS,
COMMITTEES AND CONSULTATIVE GROUP
|
FTAA
NEGOTIATING GROUPS |
CHAIR |
VICE CHAIR |
|
·
NEGOTIATING GROUP ON MARKET ACCESS |
COLOMBIA |
DOMINICAN
REPUBLIC |
|
·
NEGOTIATING GROUP ON AGRICULTURE |
URUGUAY |
MEXICO |
|
·
NEGOTIATING GROUP ON GOVERNMENT
PROCUREMENT |
COSTA RICA |
PARAGUAY |
|
·
NEGOTIATING GROUP ON INVESTMENT |
PANAMA |
NICARAGUA |
|
·
NEGOTIATING GROUP ON COMPETITION POLICY |
PERU |
CARICOM |
|
·
NEGOTIATING GROUP ON INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY RIGHTS |
DOMINICAN
REPUBLIC |
VENEZUELA |
|
·
NEGOTIATING GROUP ON SERVICES |
CARICOM |
ECUADOR |
|
·
NEGOTIATING GROUP ON DISPUTE SETTLEMENT |
CANADA |
CHILE |
|
·
NEGOTIATING GROUP ON SUBSIDIES,
ANTIDUMPING AND COUNTERVAILING DUTIES |
ARGENTINA |
CANADA |
|
OTHER FTAA
ENTITIES |
CHAIR |
VICE CHAIR |
|
·
CONSULTATIVE GROUP ON SMALLER ECONOMIES |
ECUADOR |
CARICOM |
|
·
COMMITTEE OF GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES
ON THE PARTICIPATION OF CIVIL SOCIETY |
BOLIVIA |
PERU |
|
·
TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ON INSTITUTIONAL
ISSUES |
CHILE |
MEXICO |
ANNEX III
HEMISPHERIC
COOPERATION PROGRAM (HCP)
Recognizing
the broad differences in the levels of
development and size of the economies of the
countries participating in the FTAA
negotiations, the Ministers responsible for
Trade, in their Buenos Aires meeting,
reaffirmed their commitment to create
opportunities for the full participation of
the smaller economies and to increase their
level of development.
At the same
time, they stressed the importance of
cooperation to enable the strengthening of
the productive capacity and competitiveness
of countries with different levels of
development and size of the economies,
especially the smaller economies. They also
reaffirmed the need for technical assistance,
as well as specific provisions for
addressing these situations.
On that
occasion, the Ministers considered that the
Third Summit of the Americas constituted an
opportunity to continue to build on the
Plans of Action approved at earlier Summits,
in order to strengthen the hemispheric
cooperation programs, which facilitate the
support of each country’s effort on areas
relevant to its effective participation in
the negotiations and benefits of the FTAA.
On the other
hand, the Ministers instructed the Trade
Negotiations Committee to formulate, with
the support of the Consultative Group on
Smaller Economies and the Tripartite
Committee, some guidelines or directives on
way of applying the treatment of the
differences in the levels of development and
size of economies.
In meeting
this mandate, in the IX Meeting of the Trade
Negotiations Committee (TNC), held in
Managua, Nicaragua in September 2001, the
TNC approved the guidelines or directives.
By way of complementary supporting measures
to the guidelines, the Trade Negotiations
Committee instructed that the Consultative
Group on Smaller Economies, with the
technical support of the Tripartite
Committee and based on the contributions of
the Negotiating Groups, would submit to the
TNC a proposal for a Hemispheric
Cooperation Program.
PRINCIPLES
- Be
included within the context of the Summit
of the Americas process, that has broader
objectives linked to the strengthening of
democracy, the creation of greater
prosperity, social justice, and the
realization of human potential. This
Program shall recognize that the
strengthening of the socioeconomic
