Public
FTAA.soc/w/160/Add.1
October 24, 2000

Original: Spanish
Translation: FTAA Secretariat

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

CONTRIBUTION IN RESPONSE TO THE OPEN INVITATION

Executive Summary

It is perturbing to note that growing market liberalization is leading to greater market oligopolization and monopolization, rather than to greater (free) competition.

The countries which lobby the most for free access to markets are those which are most protective of their own markets against access.

Eligibility criteria for the FTAA negotiation process:

Hold participatory evaluation of sectors and areas to be liberalized and protected.

Keep duties as a mechanism for the protection of domestic industry.

Deal with market access together with competition policies and laws; they cannot be seen separately.

Keep duties as a protection mechanism offered by domestic industry.

Hold participatory evaluation of sectors and areas to be protected.