INVITATION TO NAFTA ENVIRONMENT COMMISSION MEETING IN JUNE 2001



Executive Director of the NAFTA Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), Janine Ferretti, invites you to attend the public meetings of the 8th regular session of the Council of the CEC and parallel events on 27-29 June 2001, in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. The CEC was established by the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC) to build cooperation among the NAFTA partners--Canada, Mexico and the United States--in addressing environmental issues of common concern, with a particular focus on the environmental opportunities and challenges presented by continent-wide free trade. The CEC Council, the organization's governing body, is composed of the ministers of environment of the three countries: the Canadian Minister of Environment, Mr. David Anderson; the Mexican Secretary for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Victor Lichtinger; and the US Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, Ms. Christine Todd Whitman. During its session, the Council will examine opportunities and challenges for enhancing North American Environmental Cooperation and identify priorities for 2002 and beyond. In parallel to the regular session of the Council, the Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) will hold a regular session including a series of round table discussions to which members of the public are invited. JPAC, composed of 15 members from Canada, Mexico and the United States, provides advice to the Council on all matters within the scope of the NAAEC. The deadline to pre-register to the Council is 15 May 2001. A copy of the preliminary program of public events will be sent to participants upon registration. Additional information related to these events will be sent to pre-registered participants as it becomes available and will be posted on the CEC web site. Should you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact Fabiola Gómez, by phone at (514) 350-4303; by fax at (514) 350-4314; or by e-mail at <fgomez@ccemtl.org. You may download the pre-registration form from: http://www.cec.org.