Twenty-Fourth Meeting

Santo Domingo, 29 – 30 January 2004

1. The Twenty-Fourth Meeting of the FTAA Committee of Government Representatives on the Participation of Civil Society (SOC) was held in Santo Domingo on 29 and 30 January 2004. Representatives of twelve (12) countries of the Hemisphere were in attendance: Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Peru, the United States, and Venezuela.

2. The SOC met on 28 January 2004, to conduct the third issue meeting with participants from civil society. The Committee held a full-day roundtable with members of civil society on the topic of the intellectual property rights negotiations in the FTAA. Presentations were also made on the following specific issues: Copyright and Related Rights; Patents, Utility Models, and Plant Varieties Breeder’s Rights; Marks and Geographic Indications; Other Intellectual Property-Related Issues Not Protected by National Legislation - Protection of Folklore, Traditional Knowledge, and Access to Genetic Resources. At the end of each presentation, various representatives from different sectors of civil society presented their views and observations.

3. Delegates and civil society representatives were invited to discuss the issue of Transparency and the Participation of Civil Society in the FTAA negotiations. The discussion focused on the process of consultations within the FTAA countries and suggestions were offered for strengthening and increasing the transparency of the FTAA process. The Committee welcomed the active participation of the civil society representatives. For further information on the issue meeting, reference may be made to the Summary Report of the Third Issue Meeting with the Participation of Hemispheric Civil Society: Intellectual Property Rights, which will be made available via the official FTAA website shortly.

4. It was announced that the forth issue meeting with participants from civil society, on the issue of “Export Opportunities and the FTAA: Industrial and Consumer Goods Market Access and Small and Medium-Sized Business Issues” would be held in Atlanta, GA. More information will be made public via the official FTAA website (http://www.ftaa-alca.org) as it becomes available.

5. On January 29, 2004, just prior to the formal meeting of the SOC, a special meeting of the SOC was held to hear the institutional experiences of the Andean Community and the Common Market of the South in regards to their respective consultative mechanisms with Civil Society.

6. Following the special meeting, the SOC sought to make progress toward meeting the mandates from the Ministers and the Trade Negotiations Committee by working on:

• Best practices for outreach and consultation with civil society.
• Civil Society Committee
• Events organized in parallel to the Ministerial and Vice Ministerial meetings
• The official FTAA website

7. The discussions followed the approved agenda (attached), all items listed were discussed, of note:

1. In regard to BEST PRACTICES FOR OUTREACH AND CONSULTATION WITH CIVIL SOCIETY, the SOC will continue to receive presentations on the institutional experiences of international and regional organizations in regards to their respective consultative mechanisms with Civil Society, in order to up-date as needed the SOC report on this matter.
2. In regard to the CIVIL SOCIETY COMMITTEE, the Committee continued to discuss the issue.
3. Regarding the EVENTS ORGANIZED IN PARALLEL TO THE MINISTERIAL AND VICE MINISTERIAL MEETINGS, the Committee received a briefing on the upcoming events in Puebla. The SOC agreed to continue to follow-up with host delegations in regards to future parallel meetings with Civil Society.
4. In regard to the OFFICIAL FTAA WEBSITE, the SOC heard a presentation from the Tripartite Committee on the latest developments on the official FTAA Website. Since the last presentation in September, the number of daily visitors increased, from an average of 2,451 per day, to 4,267 per day in the period September 1 – December 31, 2003. The Tripartite Committee reported on the latest steps undertaken to improve the FTAA Website, such as incorporating language switchability via each page and a text “search” feature.

8. The SOC took note that it had received four (4) contributions is response to the Open Invitation to Civil Society since its last meeting, which was held on the September 24 – 25, 2003.

9. The date of the next SOC meeting has yet to be determined.

10. A list of Governmental Points of Contact for the FTAA may be found at http://www.ftaa-alca.org/contacts/contpts_e.asp

11. For more information on the FTAA process, please refer to the official public website at  http://www.ftaa-alca.org

 

Twenty-Fourth Meeting

Santo Domingo, 29-30 January 2004

1. Discussion of the issue meeting on intellectual property and report on the preparation of the issue meeting on market access, including issues related to small enterprise

2. Discussion of the presentations made by the speakers of the Andean Community and Common Market of the South

3. Discussion of the results of the Miami Ministerial Meeting

4. Follow up on the Guidance and Instructions of the Ministers and the TNC

- Best practices for outreach and consultation with civil society

- Events organized in parallel to the Ministerial and Vice Ministerial meetings

- Civil society committee

- The official FTAA website

5. Status report on the contributions received as part of the Public Invitation extended to Civil Society

6. Discussion of the Fifth Report of the SOC

7. Discussion of the Work Program

8. Presentation of the NAFTA experience in relation to its consultative mechanisms with civil society

9. Presentation of the Chair’s report to the TNC-Puebla

10. Other business