In 2001, the OAS Department of Sustainable Development (DSD) through the Inter-American Forum on Environmental Law (FIDA) launched a  program to conduct ex-ante national-level environmental assessments of free trade for OAS member States and assess the capacity building needs and the sustainable policy alternatives to address such impacts. Since, the program has been executed with governmental and non-governmental partners in the Americas and with the support of the C.S. Mott Foundation, USAID and USEPA.  The initial focus of this program was the effects of the proposed Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA) in MERCOSUR countries.  However, the OAS has expanded its focus to include Central America, the Caribbean and the Andean region.  These assessments address the environmental and social effects of trade liberalization and economic integration on key country sectors and seek to identify capacity building needs related to domestic laws, regulations and standards affecting market access of goods and services.