The Twenty-fourth Meeting of the Negotiating Group on Market Access (NGMA) was held in Panama City, Panama from February 17-21, 2003. Mr. Felipe Jaramillo of Colombia chaired the meeting. The Vice-chair is Mr. Manuel Diaz of the Dominican Republic. In attendance were delegates of the following countries: Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States and Uruguay. The Tripartite Committee provided technical support to the meeting.

The NGMA agreed on an agenda, which is attached hereto. All the items on the agenda were satisfactorily addressed.

The Group heard a report from the Tripartite Committee on the status of required notifications, namely base tariffs, preferential tariffs in force, yearly trade statistics, and intra- and extra-regional trade agreements or arrangements under which preferential tariff treatment is granted. The countries are succeeding in meeting these obligations and the NGMA has indicated its continued satisfaction with the outputs prepared by the Tripartite Committee from this data.

The NGMA engaged in an exchange of views on the initial market access offers presented by countries. All delegations have fulfilled their obligation to present said offer.

The Group discussed a range of issues related to the next phase of the tariff negotiating process, including the role of the FTAA Secretariat in translating of offers and matters concerning the Harmonized System.

The NGMA worked vigorously in reviewing and further consolidating the draft texts on Tariff and Non-Tariff Measures and Origin.

The Group’s next meeting will be held in Puebla, Mexico from March 24-28, 2003.

1. Approval of the Agenda

2. General issues

3. General Overview of Initial Offers

4. Methods and Modalities for Tariff Negotiations

5. Text on Tariff and Non-tariff Measures

6. Text on Origin Regime

7. Contributions from Civil Society

8. Agenda for the next meeting

9. Other matters