Public
FTAA.sme/com/20
May 7, 2003

Original: English

FTAA - CONSULTATIVE GROUP ON SMALLER ECONOMIES

Twentieth Meeting

Puebla, April 14-15, 2003


PRESS COMMUNIQUE

1. The Twentieth Meeting of the Consultative Group on Smaller Economies (CGSE) was held in Puebla, Mexico, from 14-15 April 2003. In attendance were delegates of the following countries: Argentina, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, United States, and Venezuela.
   
   
2. The CGSE agreed on an agenda, which is attached hereto.
   
   
3. The CGSE was instructed by the Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC) to develop and submit to the next meeting of the TNC a Plan of Action for convening Roundtable Meetings to discuss financing and implementation of the Hemispheric Cooperation Plan. The first such meeting should be held sufficiently in advance of the Miami Ministerial meeting to permit consideration of the results of the Roundtable by the Ministers. The CGSE discussed the plan of action which will be finalized at the next meeting.
   
   
4. The CGSE discussed the status of the National Strategies to Strengthen Trade-Related Capacities of FTAA Countries.
   
   
5. The CGSE received the Vice Chair of the Negotiating Group on Subsidies, Antidumping and Countervailing Duties, who responded to specific questions from delegations on the treatment of differences in levels of development and size of economies in that specific group.
    
6. The Twenty First Meeting of the CGSE will be held in Puebla, Mexico, the 16th and 17th of June 2003.

FTAA - CONSULTATIVE GROUP ON SMALLER ECONOMIES

Twentieth Meeting

Puebla, Mexico, April 14-16, 2003

AGENDA

1. Approval of the agenda
   
   
2. Report on the Thirteenth TNC Meeting
    
3. Follow-up on the implementation of the Hemispheric Cooperation Program
   
   
   1. The process for the completion of pending strategies
       
   2. Discussion and approval of the mechanism for the roundtable meetings and setting of a calendar
       
   3. Follow-up on the implementation of immediate technical assistance needs, including the revision of the updated matrix of project profiles
       
   4. Trade-related technical assistance database in light of the national strategies
   
   
4. Follow-up on the treatment of differences in levels of development and size of economies
   
   
   1. Individual reports from negotiating group chairs
       
   2. Discussion of document “Proposal for Guidelines or Directives for the Treatment of the Differences in the Levels of Development and Size of FTAA Economies”
       
   3. Discussion of document “Consolidation of Proposals on the Treatment of Differences in Levels of Development and Size of Economies
    
5. Follow-up on the implementation of Business Facilitation Measures
    
6. Studies
    
7. Contributions by Civil Society
    
8. Request to the Tripartite Committee to report to each FTAA negotiating group on mandates of the CGSE and the Hemispheric Cooperation Program
    
9. Other business