Public
October 7, 1999

Original: Spanish

FTAA - Negotiating Group on Services

Fifth Meeting
Miami, September 13 and October 6-7, 1999

Press Release

The fifth meeting of the FTAA Negotiating Group on Services was held in Miami on September 13 and October 6-7, 1999.

The Group approved its report to the Trade Negotiations Committee, due to meet in Miami, October 14-15, 1999. The Report comprises all the elements of the Work Program agreed upon in Buenos Aires in June 1998, and the Annotated Outline which includes the six elements of consensus on services that the Working Group had agreed on during the preparatory phase of the FTAA: sectoral coverage, most-favored-nation treatment, national treatment, market access, denial of benefits, and transparency. 

The following countries were present at the meeting:

Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

FTAA - Negotiating Group on Services

Fifth Meeting 
Miami, September 13 and October 6-7, 1999

Agenda

Monday, September 13

Morning
9:00-13:00    I. Opening of the meeting

1) Approval of the Agenda
2) Organization of Work

  II. Report on the TNC meeting held in Cochabamba July 26-30th, 1999

Wednesday, October 6 (Continuation of the meeting)

Morning
9:00-13:00    III. Drafting of the Report of the Group to the Vice Ministers

Part 2: Annotated Outline
The Six Elements of Consensus

1) Sectoral Coverage
2) Most favored nation treatment
3) National treatment

Afternoon
14:00-18:00     IV. Continuation of the Drafting of the Report of the Group to the Vice Ministers

4) Market access
5) Transparency
6) Denial of benefits

Thursday, October 7

Morning
9:00-13:00      V. Continuation of the Drafting of the Report of the Group to the Vice Ministers

Part 1: Mandate
B. Report on the Elements of the Work Program

1) Scope
2) Coverage
3) Approach

Afternoon
14:00-18:00     VI. Continuation of the Drafting of the Report of the Group to the Vice Ministers

3) Framework
4) Supplementary standards for specific sectors

A. Introduction

Smaller Economies

Other Possible Issues for an Agreement on Services
Part 3 Annex: Documents considered by the Group

    VII. Closing of the Meeting