[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book II)] [Pages 1095-1097] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]THE SECURITY AND PROSPERITY PARTNERSHIP OF NORTH AMERICA: KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS SINCE MARCH 2006 Strengthening the Competitiveness of North America To lower costs for business, maximize trade and protect health, safety and the environment, our governments completed a trilateral Regulatory Cooperation Framework. The framework promotes information sharing among regulators and greater compatibility of regulations and regulatory processes. To enhance our common efforts to protect intellectual property rights, the three governments finalized an Action Strategy to combat trademark counterfeiting and copyright piracy. To strengthen our energy security, environmental protection and economic sustainability, our governments finalized a Trilateral Agreement for Cooperation in Energy Science and Technology. To increase trade among our three countries, our governments implemented changes to the NAFTA rules of origin by mid-2006 that covered approximately $30 billion in annual trilateral trade. An additional set of changes, agreed to in 2007, will reduce export-related transaction costs for approximately $100 billion in annual trilateral trade. To promote safety and the seamless flow of goods across our border, Canada and the United States have agreed to the reciprocal recognition of containers used for the transportation of dangerous goods. To enhance the introduction of new wireless services and technologies, Canada and the United States have implemented a new process to expedite radio spectrum sharing arrangements for the border regions. This ensures citizens have timely access to the latest wireless services, and public safety and national security authorities have the spectrum they need, when they need it. To improve the compatibility and reliability of critically important wireless communications for public safety/first responders, Mexico and the United States signed a protocol in August facilitating cross border communications. To facilitate the trade of telecommunications equipment, Canada and the United States recognized each other's testing and certification for telecommunications equipment. Mexico will have a process in place by the end of 2007 to mutually accept test reports from the US and Canada. This reduces production costs and [[Page 1096]] shortens the time to bring new products to market. To modernize aviation relations and provide airlines with added flexibility to offer better choices and services, the United States and Canada signed and implemented the text of a comprehensive Open-Skies air transport agreement on March 12, 2007. To increase border crossing efficiency at the port of entry, the United States and Mexico announced synchronized, extended hours of operation at the Santa Teresa/San Jeronimo Port of Entry starting September 2007. As part of the North American Steel Strategy, North American governments launched a trilateral, publicly- available North American Steel Trade Monitor website presenting North American steel trade data on a consolidated basis. Mexico and the United States established a bilateral Border Facilitation Working Group to advance in the areas of infrastructure, technology, coordination, and stakeholder outreach and engagement while ensuring high levels of security at our points of entry. Improving the Safety and Security of our Citizens To better detect nuclear and radiological material at ports, the Mexican government has agreed to install advanced radiological detection technology at the ports of Lazaro Cardenas, Altamira, Manzanillo and Veracruz. About 92 percent of Mexico's maritime cargo passes through these ports. To improve surveillance at ports, Canada has completed the installation of radiation detection equipment in Montreal, Halifax and Deltaport in Vancouver which, when fully operational, will screen 100 percent of inbound containers. To improve the security and predictability of travel documents, Canada and the United States approved the Recommended Standards for Secure Proof of Status and Nationality. To enhance and strengthen cargo security programs, Canada and the United Sates [States]* initiated a five-year program to harmonize automated commercial information systems. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- *White House correction. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Protecting our Environment, Health and Quality of Life To detect, contain and control an avian influenza outbreak, and to mitigate the impacts of a possible human influenza pandemic in North America, our governments have finalized a North American Plan for Avian and Pandemic Influenza. To promote energy efficiency, our governments have harmonized energy performance standards for key household appliances and consumer products, such as freezers, refrigerators and room air conditioners. To raise the health status of indigenous people, Canada, Mexico and the United States exchanged information and research on various indigenous health issues, including suicide prevention, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, diabetes and indigenous health systems. To benefit our environment and quality of life, Canada and the United States signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) aimed at improving motor vehicle fuel efficiency. The MoC will allow the two countries to benefit from each others knowledge and experience in the area of fuel efficiency. To protect the environment, enhance health of people and promote the [[Page 1097]] competitiveness of the automotive industry, Mexico started a program to gradually increase, from 2006 to 2009, the supply of low sulphur fuels in all the country. To improve the ecological health of our shared marine resources, our governments continued to expand the North American Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Network. The Network will use our countries' marine protected areas in the development of a tri-national MPA-based monitoring program stretching from Baja to the Bering Strait. To assure the safety of consumers and the security of our food and agriculture systems, Canada, Mexico and the United States agreed to share current threat and vulnerability assessment methodology and information for the food and agriculture systems, including imported and exported foods of higher concern, then undertake joint threat and vulnerability assessments. To better inform our citizens and civil society and receive input on our collaborative efforts under the SPP framework, the governments of Mexico and Canada hosted seminars with academics and specialists on the three countries as part of an ongoing public policy consultation process regarding the future of North America. Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of this joint statement.