| Montreal, 30/01/1996 – Three North American groups representing industry today committed themselves to working with the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) — otherwise known as the NAFTA environment commission — to promote better environmental management in North America. The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) marks the first time since NAFTA went into effect that leading industry groups have formed an alliance with the environmental commission created by NAFTA.
Representatives of the three groups — the Mexican Confederation of Industry Chambers of Mexico (CONCAMIN), the United Stated Council for International Business (USCIB) and the Canadian Council for International Business (CCIB) — signed the agreement alongside CEC Executive Director, Victor Lichtinger. Lichtinger praised the groups for their initiative.
“This private-public partnership demonstrates a commitment to sounder environmental practices all over North America” said Lichtinger. “just as important, it is also a recognition that what is good for the environment is good for business. Sharing environmental expertise across borders will help industries in North America compete globally by making them more productive and more efficient.”
“Protecting the environment is more important than ever. Today, these industry groups are paving the way for greater cooperation — and ultimately, a better environment.”
Three representatives of the participating industrial groups signed the MOU: Guillermo Barroso, Vice-President of CONCAMIN, Jonathan Plaut, President of the Environmental Committee of the USCIB and Tim Page, President of CCIB. The MOU signing ceremony took place during day two of a seminar to introduce small and medium-size businesses to ISO14000, a set of international environmental standards aimed at improving industrial environmental management practices.
The MOU advocates sound management practices, information exchange across border and improved environmental education and training, standardization processes and technology transfer.
Lichtinger today announced two follow-up actions to the MOU:
1. certification and cross-border recognition of audits related to ISO14000 in North America;
2. the creation of a working group to define priorities such as informal meetings between the three industrial groups to discuss themes of mutual interest and working meetings to promote better understanding of ISO14000 in North America.
Following these announcements, Mexican Environment Minister Julia Carabias underscored the importance of the tri-national MOU. She asked for help from the CEC to implement an agreement between the Mexican government and Mexican industry on environmental regulation and competitiveness, based on Canadian and American experience.
The CEC is equally funded by the three NAFTA partners: Mexico, the United States and Canada. The CEC headquarters are located in Montreal, Canada. | 
