    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book I)]
    [March 31, 2006]
    [Pages 634-636]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Joint Statement by President George W. Bush, Prime Minister Stephen
    Harper of Canada, and President Vicente Fox
    Quesada of Mexico--The Security and Prosperity
    Partnership of North America: Progress
    March 31, 2006

        Canada, Mexico and the United States share a continued commitment to
    enhance the security, prosperity and quality of life of our citizens
    within North America. We recognize that the success of our countries is
    enhanced by working cooperatively. The Security and Prosperity
    Partnership of North America, which celebrates its first anniversary
    this month, provides a framework for us to advance collaboration in
    areas as diverse as security, transportation, the environment and public
    health.
        This Partnership has increased our institutional contacts to respond
    to our vision of a stronger, more secure, and more prosperous region. In
    June 2005, our three governments released detailed work-plans
    identifying key initiatives that form an ambitious agenda of
    collaboration. Since June, we have worked to implement these
    initiatives. Many will take months or years to be completed, but we
    already note significant results. We ask our Ministers to build on this
    momentum.
        We have discussed how we can ensure North America is the most
    economically dynamic region in the world and a secure home for our
    citizens. Today, we exchanged views with private sector leaders on how
    to enhance the competitiveness of North America.
        Building on existing commitments, we agree that priority initiatives
    warrant special attention in the coming year:
        Strengthening Competitiveness in North America. We are pleased to
    announce the creation of a North American Competitiveness Council
    (NACC). The Council will comprise members of the private sector from
    each country and will provide us recommendations on North American
    competitiveness, including, among others, areas such as automotive and
    transportation, steel, manufacturing, and services. The Council will
    meet annually with security and prosperity Ministers and will engage
    with senior government officials on an ongoing basis.
        We are convinced that regulatory cooperation advances the
    productivity and competitiveness of our nations and helps to protect our
    health, safety and environment. For instance, cooperation on food safety
    will help protect the public while at the same time facilitate the flow
    of goods. We affirm our commitment to strengthen regulatory cooperation
    in this

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    and other key sectors and to have our central regulatory agencies
    complete a trilateral regulatory cooperation framework by 2007.
        North American Emergency Management. A disaster--whether natural or
    man-made--in one of our countries can have consequences across national
    borders. Our vision for a North American response, relief and recovery
    strategy would ensure that critical equipment, supplies and personnel
    can be deployed expeditiously throughout North America. We commit to
    develop a common approach to critical infrastructure protection,
    coordinated responses to cross border incidents, and coordinated
    training and exercises, with the participation of all levels of
    government in our countries.
        Avian and Human Pandemic Influenza. Given the highly integrated
    nature of our economies, an outbreak of pathogenic avian flu or human
    pandemic influenza in any one of our countries would affect us all.
    Today, we have agreed to develop a comprehensive, science-based and
    coordinated approach within North America to avian influenza and human
    pandemic influenza management. We have endorsed a set of shared
    principles to underpin cooperative activities by our Governments in all
    stages of avian influenza and human pandemic influenza management:
    prevention; preparedness; response; and recovery. Pursuant to these
    principles, officials will develop, as an immediate priority, incident
    management protocols to ensure that we are well prepared in advance of
    an outbreak in North America. For instance, we have agreed to work
    together to accelerate research, development, production, and
    availability of human pandemic influenza vaccines, and develop a
    strategy to best facilitate the sharing of information to enhance the
    availability of vaccines to the region. We will also establish a small
    Coordinating Body of senior officials to ensure follow-up on these
    commitments.
        North American Energy Security. A sustainable, secure and affordable
    supply of energy is key to fueling the North American economy.
    Collaboration in the areas of innovation, energy efficiency, and
    technology development, including moving these technologies to market,
    promotes energy security. Our governments renew their commitment to
    trilateral cooperation on clean energy technologies, conservation, and
    market facilitation as a means to meeting our shared goals of energy
    security and sustainable development. Officials will also examine how
    this cooperation can be expanded to further our climate efforts.
        North American Smart, Secure Borders. Our vision is to have a border
    strategy that results in the fast, efficient and secure movement of low-
    risk trade and travelers to and within North America, while protecting
    us from threats including terrorism. In implementing this strategy, we
    will encourage innovative risk-based approaches to improving security
    and facilitating trade and travel. These include close coordination on
    infrastructure investments and vulnerability assessments, screening and
    processing of travelers, baggage and cargo, a single integrated North
    American trusted traveler program, and swift law enforcement responses
    to threats posed by criminals or terrorists, including advancing a
    trilateral network for the protection of judges and officers.
        The Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America represents
    a broad and ambitious agenda. We instruct our Ministers to develop
    options to strengthen the SPP and present them next June as part of the
    second report on progress of the SPP.
        President Fox and President Bush were pleased to accept, on behalf
    of their countries, Prime Minister Harper's invitation to host the next
    trilateral leaders meeting in Canada in 2007.

    Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of
    this joint statement.

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