Public
FTAA.ngadcv/com/22
August 11, 2003

Original: Spanish
Translation: FTAAA Secretariat

PRESS COMMUNIQUÉ 

1. The Twenty-Second Meeting of the Negotiating Group on Subsidies, Antidumping, and Countervailing Duties was held in Puebla, Mexico, from 4 to 8 August 2003, under the chairmanship of Mr. Adrián MAKUC (Argentine Republic). Delegations of the following 16 countries were in attendance: Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States, as well as a representative of the Tripartite Committee.
   
   
2. The meeting proceeded in accordance with the following agenda:
   
   
   1. Summary of conclusions of the Fourteenth Meeting of the TNC.
       
   2. Presentation of new proposals, including competition-related proposals.
      
      
   3. Review of the draft Chapter.
       
   4. Structure of the text and articles. Template.
       
   5. Legal nature of the text.
       
   6. Identification of options for deepening disciplines on subsidies.
       
   7. Progress in multilateral negotiations on trade remedies.
       
   8. Treatment of differences in the levels of development and size of economies.
       
   9. Preparation of the Report of the Negotiating Group to the TNC.
       
   10. Communications from other FTAA entities.
        
   11. Other business.
        
3. The delegations examined the entire Chapter, based on the existing draft that had been adapted, to the extent possible, to the template approved by the Trade Negotiations Committee, as well as the new proposals submitted by the delegations. As a result of the discussions, the Chair prepared a new version of the draft Chapter. This new version is the result of the work based on new proposals submitted by the delegations and the review and/or consolidation of existing text proposals, which has facilitated the elimination of internal brackets.
   
   
4. The Group approved the Report from the Negotiating Group on Subsidies, Antidumping and Countervailing Duties to the Trade Negotiations Committee.