The fourth meeting of the FTAA Negotiating Group on Dispute Settlement (NGDS) was held in Miami from 7 to 9 July 1999. A list of the participating countries is attached to this communiqué. Some of the delegations represented their respective sub-regional groups. The NGDS deliberations followed the items of the agenda, also attached.

The fourth NGDS meeting focused mainly on the drafting of the report to the Trade Negotiations Committee on all the elements of the Work Program agreed upon in Buenos Aires in June 1998. This report will also include an annotated outline of the status of the progress in the Group's work in establishing a fair, transparent, and effective mechanism to settle disputes among FTAA countries.

Also at this meeting, the Tripartite Committee (OAS) informed the Group about the status of the Inventory on dispute settlement systems within the Hemisphere, which is being elaborated.

The NGDS will meet again on 26 and 27 August 1999. Working sessions will be extended until 10:00 p.m. those two days. If need be, the Group will meet on Saturday, 28 August 1999.

Miami, July 7-9, 1999
Inter-Continental Hotel, Miami 

AGENDA