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COUNTRIES OF THE HEMISPHERE TO ADDRESS LABOR ASPECTS
OF FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS

  July 6, 2007

The Organization of American States (OAS) will hold an international meeting next week in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, which will bring together representatives from over 28 countries to address the region’s progress, priorities and challenges related to labor.

The delegates from the Labor Ministries will participate in a workshop on Tuesday, July 10, on “Labor Dimension of Free Trade Agreements and Regional Integration,” with the objective of exchanging information and experiences related to the labor provisions that have been incorporated into various bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements as well as to the labor advances achieved in the regional integration processes, such as MERCOSUR, CARICOM and the Andean Community.

In addition, from July 11-13, the OAS Second Preparatory Meeting of the IX Inter-American Conference of Ministers will be held. During this meeting, the delegates will study the Declaration and Plan of Action that the ministers will sign next September.

Also participating in these meetings are representatives from labor unions and business organizations from several countries of the Americas, as well as representatives from the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), CARICOM and the Andean Community, among others.

The OAS Department of Social Development and Employment acts as the Technical Secretariat of the Conference, and will be represented in Port of Spain by its Director, Francisco Pilotti and Specialist María Claudia Camacho.

Reference: E-166/07