1. The fourth meeting of the Negotiating Group on Market Access took place in Miami from May 18 through 21, 1999. Delegates from the following countries participated therein: Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, The Dominican Republic, The United States, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

2. Under the agenda adopted for the meeting, the Group reviewed the issue of identifying the elements that would be included in the FTAA chapter on Customs Procedures and Rules of Origin. During the discussions, the Group also addressed the issues related to the definition of methods, modalities and timetables for the elimination of tariffs, the identification, analysis and determination of the treatment of special regimes, and other measures that affect the applied tariff. The Group also discussed the issues of non-tariff measures, safeguards and technical barriers to trade.

3. During the meeting, the Group made important progress in identifying the elements and aspects that could eventually be included on a free trade agreement in the hemisphere on areas related to market access.

4. Likewise, the Group had the opportunity of hearing presentations made by representatives from the following hemispheric agencies: PanAmerican Standards Commission (COPANT), Inter-American System of Metrology (SIM), InterAmerican Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC), and Organization of American States (OAS) on the activities they perform in the area of technical standards. These presentations were considered to be very helpful and informative for the discussions being conducted by the Negotiating Group on Market Access in the area of technical barriers to trade.

5. The next meeting of the Negotiating Group on Market Access will be held in the city of Miami, Florida, on August 2-6, 1999.

6. Attached to this communiqué is the agenda of the meeting.

This document was previously distributed in error as FTAA.ngma/com/03

FTAA - NEGOTIATING GROUP ON MARKET ACCESS

1. Customs Procedures
2. Rules of Origin
3. Tariffs
4. Non-Tariff Measures
5. Safeguards
6. Standards and Technical Barriers to Trade
7. Other business