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Public
FTAA.soc/civ/17
April 5, 2002

Original: Spanish
Translation: FTAA Secretariat

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

CONTRIBUTION IN RESPONSE TO THE OPEN AND ONGOING INVITATION


Name (s) José María Maya Mejía
Organization (s) Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud CES
Country Colombia

CONTRIBUTIONS TO FTAA AGREEMENT

1. NEGOTIATING GROUP ON COMPETITION POLICY

Standardization of legislation and accounting concepts, in a way that enables firms from the different parts of the hemisphere to work together. This implies the design of a single accounting system for all firms located in FTAA countries, regardless of the sector that they belong to.

2. NEGOTIATING GROUP ON SERVICES

A. EDUCATIONAL SERVICES:

Design of an accreditation system for institutions of higher education that is recognized throughout the hemisphere. The development of a high quality accreditation system that is standardized hemisphere-wide will enable institutions of higher education to practice benchmarking and make it easier for students and faculty to move freely throughout the Americas, using comparable standards to gauge the quality of higher education.

B. HEALTH SERVICES:

* Design of mechanisms, initially recognized subregionally and subsequently throughout the hemisphere, for certifying and recertifying professionals. The certification of professionals who, through their work, expose the public to high levels of risk, such as health care professionals, should be accredited. Health care professionals who graduate from an institution with a regionally recognized accreditation mechanism will be accredited automatically, which will promote high quality. The certification and recertification of professionals who have graduated from unaccredited programs should involve the participation of experts from the various countries of the hemisphere.

* Accreditation of institutions that provide health care services. A system that is initially recognized subregionally should be developed to help distinguish between institutions that merely meet minimum licensing requirements and those that meet high standards of quality and, in so doing, provide patients and insurers with a greater level of security and safety.

C. SOCIAL SECURITY SERVICES INCLUDING HEALTH:

Development of strategies to extend social security coverage to the entire population of the region and the standardization of services and rights in a manner that allows them to be gradually accessible within the different countries of the region.

José M. Maya Mejía, M.D.
Rector, Instituto de Ciencias de Salud (CES)

 
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