![](/web/20070221024626im_/http://www.international.gc.ca/nafta-alena/site/images/curves_end-en.gif)
NAFTA FREE TRADE COMMISSION JOINT STATEMENT
Montreal, October 7, 2003
“Celebrating NAFTA at Ten”
The Honourable Pierre S. Pettigrew, Canada’s Minister for International
Trade; Fernando Canales, Mexico’s Secretary of Economy; and Ambassador
Robert B. Zoellick, United States Trade Representative, are pleased to release
the following Joint Statement, which outlines the overall results of the October
7, 2003, meeting of the NAFTA Free Trade Commission, in Montréal, Québec,
Canada.
As we near the tenth anniversary of the entry into force of the North American
Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), it is important to evaluate its impact on
our three countries. The evidence is clear -- the NAFTA has been a great
success for all three Parties. It is an outstanding demonstration of the
rewards that flow to outward-looking, confident countries that implement
policies of trade liberalization as a way to increase wealth, improve competitiveness
and expand benefits to consumers, workers and businesses. We remain committed
to ensuring that the NAFTA continues to help us to strengthen the North
American economy through a rules-based framework for doing business in an
increasingly integrated market.
Since January 1, 1994, when the NAFTA entered into force, three-way trade
amongst our countries has reached over US $621 billion, more than double
the pre-NAFTA level. Foreign Direct Investment by other NAFTA partners in
our three countries more than doubled to reach US$299.2 billion in 2000.
The NAFTA story is about more than impressive trade and investment figures.
January 1, 2004 will also mark ten years since the North American Agreement
on Environmental Co-operation and the North American Agreement on Labour
Co-operation entered into force. These successful agreements have helped
to ensure that the economic integration promoted by the NAFTA is accompanied
by better environmental performance and efforts to improve working conditions.
When the NAFTA Free Trade Commission last met in May 2002, we instructed
our officials to review the prospects of additional trilateral work that
could stimulate further trade between our three countries, to allow the
realization of the full potential of a more integrated and efficient North
American economy.
On the basis of work achieved to date, we have today agreed on a series of
actions to further stimulate trade and investment between our three countries,
and we have directed our officials to continue to review opportunities for further
trilateral work.
We reviewed the recommendations of the Investment Experts Group (IEG), which
we had tasked with examining the operation of the investment chapter of the
NAFTA. We agreed on statements and recommended procedures regarding submissions
from non-disputing parties and a standard form for Notices of Intent to Submit
a Claim to Arbitration. These will enhance the transparency and efficiency of
the investment chapter's investor-state dispute settlement process. Copies of
these statements are attached. Much of the work that led to the IEG’s
recommendations was informed by input from interested stakeholders, including
input received at the NAFTA Trilateral Multi-stakeholder Consultations that
were held in Montreal this past May. The Council of the Commission for Environmental
Cooperation -- our environmental counterparts -- and the Joint Public Advisory
Committee (JPAC), provided important input on the organization of these consultations.
We directed the IEG to continue its work seeking ways to improve the implementation
of the Chapter, including, where appropriate, an examination of investment provisions
in other agreements.
We were pleased to note that trade in North America for most non-agricultural
goods is no longer hindered by tariffs. However, we noted that certain export-related
transaction costs still impede possibilities for even more vigorous growth
in trilateral trade. We asked the NAFTA Trade in Goods Committee to commence
a study of our most-favoured-nation tariffs, in order to determine whether
harmonizing these tariffs could further promote trade by reducing export-related
transaction costs. We asked the NAFTA Rules of Origin Working Group to pursue
further liberalization of the NAFTA rules of origin. We instructed officials
to initiate the necessary consultations with domestic industries to determine
which products could be covered by this exercise and to report to our Deputies
at their next meeting.
Ministers discussed the impending liberalization of international textile
and apparel trade at the end of 2004 and steps that could be taken to prepare
our industries for an increasingly competitive global market.
We have accepted the recommendation of the NAFTA Temporary Entry Working
Group to provide temporary entry to actuaries and plant pathologists. We
have agreed that each Party will complete its domestic procedures to admit
professionals in these two occupations and the Parties will implement this
change trilaterally on February 1, 2004. We asked the Temporary Entry Working
Group to develop trilaterally-agreed procedures for adding and deleting
professions in Appendix 1603.D.1 (Professionals) of the NAFTA.
We were pleased to accept the Mutual Recognition Agreement that has been signed
by the accounting professions of Canada, Mexico and the United States. We hereby
encourage our respective competent authorities to implement it in a manner consistent
with the NAFTA. This agreement will facilitate the recognition of credentials
within the three NAFTA countries. By facilitating the cross-border trade in
services, this type of agreement contributes to achieving the objectives of
the NAFTA, and we encourage other bodies of professionals to complete the agreements
that are being negotiated to develop mutually acceptable standards and criteria
for licensing and certification of professional service providers.
We welcomed the establishment of a North American Steel Trade Committee,
which will meet for the first time on November 21 in Mexico City. The objective
of the Committee is to promote continued cooperation among the three governments
on international steel policy matters; to serve as a consultative mechanism
for regular exchanges of information and review of progress on matters of
mutual interest or concern; and reduce remaining distortions in the North
American steel market. We look forward to receiving reports of the Committee’s
work. We have attached a separate statement on the establishment of this
Committee.
We have accepted the recommendation of the NAFTA Advisory Committee on
Private Commercial Disputes, and we encourage the competent authorities
to adopt in each of our countries the "UNCITRAL Model Law on International
Commercial Conciliation." This will facilitate the effective resolution
of private commercial disputes by establishing a harmonized legal framework
within the NAFTA region.
Looking beyond the NAFTA region, we also discussed the essential role that
further trade and investment liberalization plays in the promotion of economic
growth and poverty reduction worldwide, and the leadership that our three
countries are showing in this regard.
Despite the setback at the WTO Ministerial Conference in Cancun, we agreed
that the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations continues to hold
tremendous prospects for the world economy; especially for developing countries.
We call on Members to re-double their efforts to build bridges and find
consensus in the months ahead. We agreed on the need to re-energize the
multilateral process and move forward with multilateral trade liberalization
that benefits all participants. We also agreed to seize all opportunities
to rebuild momentum, including at the APEC Leaders’ and Trade Ministers’
meetings in Thailand later this month.
At the same time, we reaffirmed our commitment to the Free Trade Area of
the Americas (FTAA) process and the successful conclusion by January 2005
of negotiations on a comprehensive, ambitious multilateral agreement including
both market access and common rules. As we approach the November 20-21,
2003 FTAA Ministerial meeting in Miami, we will continue to work with our
Hemispheric partners to achieve the promise that the FTAA holds for growth
and economic development through enhanced economic integration.
We approved the publication of a trilateral brochure on NAFTA, which can
be found at the three Ministries’ web sites.
Finally, we agreed that the United States will host the next NAFTA Commission
meeting, at the Ministerial level, next year.
|