Public
FTAA.ngag/com/24
March 20, 2003

Original: English-Spanish
Translation: non FTAA Secretariat

The Twenty-fourth Meeting of the Negotiating Group on Agriculture (NGAG) took place in Puebla, Mexico from March 17-20, 2003. The following delegations attended: Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and United States.

The NGAG agreed on the agenda, which is attached to this press communiqué. All the items on the agenda were covered.

The work of the Group covered: (1) export subsidies; (2) other practices that distort trade in agricultural products, including those which have an equivalent effect to agricultural export subsidies; (3) non-tariff measures; (4) market access issues; and (5) general provisions to be included in the Chapter on Agriculture.

The Tripartite Committee presented the following reports: (i) the status of, and inputs to, the Hemispheric Data Base (HDB); and (ii) the status of the Excel files containing trade and tariff information requested by the NGAG.

The Group acknowledged receipt of a civil society contribution forwarded by the Committee of Government Representatives on the Participation of Civil Society to the NGAG. The delegations agreed to give all due attention to these contributions.

The Group’s next meeting will be held in Puebla, Mexico from May 12-16, 2003.

(Note: the distribution of time among the different agenda items is only notional and will be adjusted according to the progress made during the meeting)

MONDAY 17*:

9:00 AM – 1:00 PM

1. Approval of the Agenda

2. General Issues:

- Notification and counter-notification of SPS
- Hemispheric Data Base (HDB)
- Contributions forwarded by the Committee of Government Representatives on the Participation of Civil Society
- Status on tariff negotiations
- Chair’s Report from Miami March 6, 2003 Meeting.

* Delegations will have the opportunity to discuss the exchange of tariff offers daily after the close of the plenary sessions. Delegations should submit their request of logistical needs as soon as possible to the Secretariat according to the method used during the previous meeting for this purpose.