Public
FTAA.soc/w/157/Add.1
October 24, 2000

Original: French
Translation: FTAA Secretariat

FTAA - COMMITTEE OF GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES ON THE PARTICIPATION OF
CIVIL SOCIETY

CONTRIBUTION IN RESPONSE TO THE OPEN INVITATION

Executive Summary

We are trying to answer one of the most important questions:

We think that facilitating the exchange of services, information and products among medium and small size firms, which are the mainstay of all countries with a growing economy, will raise living standards and improve the working conditions of all peoples in the Americas.

We are also convinced that helping medium and small size firms identify small companies interested in becoming trading partners will raise living standards and improve the working conditions of all peoples in the Americas.

Instead of only helping the multinationals, the FTAA could also enable medium and small size firms interested in the integration process to grow.

Our recommendation : «Assist us in creating a NETWORK that will allow us to help and identify small size firms interested in becoming trading partners so they can also benefit from the FTAA.» 

From:
Mr. Sylvain Leduc LL.B (lawyer) and
Mr. Michel Paradis B.Sc. LL.B.
(director of the Fidelium Institute)