Public
FTAA.ngma/com/21
August 2, 2002
Original: Spanish
Translation: non FTAA Secretariat
FTAA - NEGOTIATING GROUP ON MARKET ACCESS
Twenty-first Meeting
Panama, July 29 – August 2, 2002
PRESS COMMUNIQUÉ
The Twenty-first Meeting of the Negotiating Group on Market Access (NGMA)
was held in Panama City, Panama from 29 July to 2 August 2002. In attendance
were delegates of the following countries: Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil,
Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El
Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru,
St. Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States, Uruguay, and
Venezuela.
The NGMA agreed on the Agenda,
which is attached to this press communiqué. All the items on it were covered.
In accordance with the instructions given to the NGMA by the Trade Negotiations
Committee (TNC) and the Ministers Responsible for Trade, the work of the Group
centered on a review of the chapters of the FTAA Agreement entrusted to this
Group, as well as preparing recommendations for the TNC on methods for
determining tariff concessions; general rules of origin, inter alia, the de
minimis level and accumulation, including during the transition period; and the
organization of an ad hoc group for specific rules of origin; and organizational
aspects of the tariff negotiations. Based on these discussions, the Group
prepared its report to the TNC for its next meeting in August 2002.
The Tripartite Committee reported to the Group on the subregional technical
workshops that have been held on the Hemispheric Data Base System, Rules of
Origin and other issues related to tariff negotiations.
The Group acknowledged receipt of the civil society contributions forwarded by
the Committee of Government Representatives on the Participation of Civil
Society to the NGMA. The delegations agreed to give all due attention to these
contributions.
FTAA - NEGOTIATING GROUP ON MARKET ACCESS
Twenty-first Meeting
Panama, July 29 to August 2, 2002
AGENDA
1. Approval of the Agenda
2. General issues
3. Tariffs
• Text of the Chapter
• Methods for determining concessions
4. Rules of origin
• Text of the Chapter
• Negotiation of general rules of origin, inter alia,
the level of de minimis and the application
of the principle of accumulation
• Organization of the ad hoc group
5. [Customs] Procedures on Rules of Origin (Text of the Chapter)
6. Customs Procedures (Text of the Chapter)
7. Safeguards (Text of the Chapter)
8. Standards and Technical Barriers to Trade (Text of the Chapter)
9. Report to the TNC
10. Agenda for the next meeting
11. Other matters
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