Public
FTAA.ngin/com/23
June 13, 2003

Original: Spanish
Translation: FTAA Secretariat

FTAA - NEGOTIATING GROUP ON INVESTMENT

Twenty-Third Meeting

Puebla, Mexico, 9-12 June 2003

PRESS COMMUNIQUE

1. The Twenty-Third Meeting of the Negotiating Group on Investment (NGIN) was held in Puebla, Mexico from 9 to 12 June 2003, with the participation of the following countries: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, United States, and Venezuela.

2. The approved agenda for the discussions is attached hereto as Annex I.

3. The delegations held meetings on their market access offers.

4. Delegations exchanged views and continued with the consolidation of the draft text on the issues of: denial of benefits and dispute settlement. Several delegations presented new proposals on these issues, which were incorporated into the draft text of the Chapter on Investment.

5. The Group exchanged ideas on relations with other FTAA entities, under the agenda item set aside therefor.

6. The Chair informed the Group that new contributions from civil society have been received since the Group’s Twenty-Second Meeting.

7. With regard to other issues, the Group discussed the organization of work for its next meeting.

8. The Group’s Twenty-Fourth Meeting will be held in Puebla, Mexico, on a date soon to be determined by the TNC.

FTAA - NEGOTIATING GROUP ON INVESTMENT

Twenty-Third Meeting

Puebla, Mexico, 9-12 June 2003

Annex I: Agenda

1. Review of offers and submissions of requests for improvements to offers (bilateral sessions)
2. Review of offers and submissions of requests for improvements to offers (continuation of bilateral meetings); plenary meeting begins at 15:00
3. Draft Chapter
          -Denial of benefits
          -Dispute settlement

3. Relations with other FTAA entities
4. Report from the Chair on civil society contributions
5. Discussion of the consolidated draft text to be submitted to the Fourteenth Meeting of the TNC
6. Other business
          -Chair’s report to the TNC
          -Services and investment joint meeting
          -Pending work on basic definitions