Progress in the FTAA Negotiations and Civil Society in the Hemisphere

The University of the Americas (UDLA) hosted a one-day civil society event on the margins of the 13th FTAA Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC) Meeting in Puebla, Mexico, on April 8 2003. Some 50 participants, mostly academics, members of the private sector, non-governmental organisations (NGO) representatives, and a number of government officials (including FTAA Vice-Ministers and Chairs of FTAA Negotiating Groups), were in attendance. The discussions pivoted around four thematic panels on economic integration and development, market access for goods, services and investment, as well as other issues on the FTAA agenda, respectively. The presentations by the panellists were followed by an exchange with the audience. The event culminated with a joint session with the Vice-Ministers (including Mr. Claude Carrière, Canada's Chief FTAA Negotiator), where the Chairs of each panel presented the conclusions and recommendations stemming from the daylong discussions.