Business Facilitation

19. We have received the report of the Ad-Hoc Group of Customs Experts and we take note of the progress achieved in implementing the business facilitation measures agreed upon at our previous meeting. We encourage countries to continue to work towards fully implementing these measures, supplemented by technical assistance and technical cooperation plans, with the conviction that such measures shall contribute significantly to expediting transactions in the Hemisphere and to creating a more efficient and predictable business environment.

20. In this regard, we welcome the approval of the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) Technical Cooperation Project, - which comes under the authority of the Inter-American Development Bank - which will contribute towards facilitating the implementation of customs measures, taking into account the differences in the levels of development and size of the economies, including the smaller economies.

21. We have also received the report of the Tripartite Committee on transparency-related business facilitation measures, and we ratify the importance of full and ongoing implementation of these measures. We encourage the Governments to submit the information necessary to keep the FTAA official web page up-to-date, providing business communities and other interested parties rapid and effective access to the information.