Public
FTAA.ngin/com/18
October 23, 2002

Original: Spanish
Translation: FTAA Secretariat

FTAA - NEGOTIATING GROUP ON INVESTMENT

Eighteenth Meeting

Panama City, September 23-25, 2002

PRESS COMMUNIQUE

1. The Eighteenth Meeting of the Negotiating Group on Investment (NGIN) was held in Panama City from 23 to 25 September 2002, with the participation of the following countries: Argentina, Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad & Tobago, United States, and Venezuela.

2. The approved agenda is attached hereto as Annex I.

3. The NGIN Chair reported to the Group on the results of the Eleventh Meeting of the TNC, held 28-30 August 2002, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and focused in particular on the topic of negotiating methods and modalities.

4. The ECLAC representative gave a detailed presentation on foreign investment in Latin America and the Caribbean.

5. The NGIN prepared a document that will be presented for the consideration of the Committee. The document is titled “Comments and Views on the Methodology for the Exchange of Offers Related to Market Access for the Consideration of the Trade Negotiations Committee.”

6. The FTAA Secretariat will notify the delegates of the date of the next—nineteenth—NGIN meeting, which will be scheduled by the TNC at its upcoming meeting in October 2002.