Invitation to a Regular Session of the Joint Public Advisory Committee of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation

The Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) invites you to its Regular Session to be held on 3-4 December 1998 to the Radisson Barcelo Hotel in Washington, DC.

Following the opening reports, the public is invited to participate in a round table discussion on the CEC 1999-2001 Program Plan on 3 December from 9:00 am to 12:00 am. These exchanges, along with the results of JPAC's own deliberations and the interactions with the public, will form the basis for the Committee's Annual Report and advice to Council as well as its input into the next Program Plan. Following the round table discussion, the session will be opened to the public, as observer. At the end of each day, the observers will have the opportunity to make comments.

The provisional agenda is:

Thursday, 3 December 1998
    9:00 am – 6:00 pm

1. Welcome and Overview by the Chair

2. Approval of the Provisional Agenda

3. Report on the JPAC Chair Election for 1999

4. Report by the Interim Executive Director

5. Report by National and Governmental Committee Representatives

6. Round Table on the CEC Program Plan for 1999-2001

7. Discussion on the Lindane Nomination Dossier under the Sound Management of Chemicals Program

8. Presentation and Discussion on the Article 10(6) of the NAAEC: NAFTA Chapter 11

9. Draft CEC Program and Budget for 1999

10. Discussion on Methods for Project Evaluation

11. Implementation of the Independent Review Committee Report on the Four-Year of the NAAEC

12. Observers' Comments

Friday, 4 December 1998
    8:30 am – 2:00 pm

1. Update on the Public Review of the Revised Guidelines for Citizen Submissions on Enforcement Matters under Articles 14 and 15 of the NAAEC

2. Discussion on Enforcement Issues
3. Discussion on the Article 28 of the NAAEC: Rules for Procedure
4. Discussion on the Draft CEC Public Participation Guidelines
5. Other Issues
6. Observers' Comments

Persons who cannot attend this session are invited to send written comments on these issues to Manon Pepin, the JPAC Coordinator at the CEC Secretariat. Please keep your comments brief; and specific recommendations would be greatly appreciated. In order to ensure equal consideration to all respondents, such comments should not exceed 1000 words. Please make sure that your comments are sent by 27 November 1998. With your comments, please include your name, firm or organization, address, telephone and fax numbers as well as e-mail address. Comments can be sent to JPAC in Montreal or to Mexico City:

Joint Public Advisory Committee Commission for Environmental Cooperation 393 St. Jacques West Suite 200 Montreal, Quebec H2Y 1N9 Fax: (514) 350-4314 e-mail: mpepin@ccemtl.org

Comité Consultivo Público Conjunto Comisión para la Cooperación Ambiental Progreso No. 3 (Viveros de Coyoacán) Col. Del Carmen Coyoacán Delegación Coyoacán México, D.F. 04110 Fax: (525) 659-50-23 e-mail: mpepin@ccemtl.org

The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) was created in 1994 by the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC) to facilitate cooperation and public participation to foster conservation, protection and enhancement of the North American environment for the benefit of present and future generations, in the context of increasing economic, trade and social links between Canada, Mexico and the United States. The CEC consists of a Council of cabinet-level officials – composed of Canadian Environmental Minister Christine Stewart, Mexican Secretary of the Environment, Natural Resources and Fisheries, Julia Carabias, and US EPA Administrator, Carol M. Browner – a Secretariat and a Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC).

JPAC is composed of fifteen members, five from each of the three countries, who are appointed by their respective governments. It acts as a single, transnational body. Its members act independently of outside authority. Their responsibility is to provide the Council with their advice on all matters within the scope of the NAAEC.

Please confirm your attendance to this session by sending an e-mail to Manon Pepin at mpepin@ccemtl.org  or a fax to (514) 350-4314. We will send you the complete agenda as well as the appropriate documents, for the regular session and the round table.