DR-CAFTA environmental meeting set

DR-CAFTA environmental meeting set The Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) Environmental Affairs Council will meet in Guatemala City July 24 to continue the review of environmental benchmarks included in the agreement.
   A key element in gaining political support for the agreement in the United States was the inclusion of environmental goals and standards.
   A joint notice from the U.S. State Department and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said the meeting would focus on the 'Chapter 17' obligations concerning environmental issues, including a report on the operation of the Secretariat for Environmental Affairs. There will also be a review of the working procedures for the secretariat, plus its anticipated activities and operations. Finally, the council will discuss cooperative environmental activities involving the parties to the agreement.
   The United States negotiated the agreement with the Dominican Republic and the Central American nations of El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Costa Rica. To date only Costa Rica has not completed in-country endorsements of the agreement. A DR-CAFTA referendum election is set for this fall in Costa Rica.