AACCLA’S Mission Statement and Core

Values

Mission

Mission Statement

The Association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America advocates trade and investment between the countries of the region and the United States through free trade, free markets, and free enterprise.

Values

Core Values

The rule of law and freedom of choice, both in economics and politics, are basic rights that every country in the hemisphere should grant to its citizens.

Economic growth is the key to improving social well being — and therefore, the continued health of democracy — throughout societies.

Values (continued)

The economic activity of the private sector, including trade and investment, is the principal instrument of economic growth.

Corporate social responsibility and sustainable development are vital to improving long-term social and economic conditions.

2011 Draft Program of Work

Part 1: The Policy Agenda

Objective 1

Actively promote full implementation of the U.S.-Colombia and U.S.-Panama trade agreements, as well as full implementation and strong enforcement of existing trade agreements. Pursue additional trade initiatives that are comprehensive, ambitious and commercially significant, including the TransPacific Partnership, bilateral tax and investment treaties, and trade preference programs.

Objective 1 (continued)

Underscore the importance of trade liberalization in providing new economic opportunities and jobs, and support efforts to deepen our partnership and cooperation to ensure that the benefits of free trade and open investment are broadly shared by all. Promote trade and investment openness as central to global economic recovery and reject isolationism in all its forms.

Objective 2

Promote the adoption of trade facilitation and customs modernization measures throughout the Western Hemisphere that enhance regional and national competitiveness and security. These include measures that will make the flow of international commerce faster and more efficient and that will reduce trade transaction costs significantly.

Objective 3

Foster innovation, harness creativity, champion intellectual property protection, combat counterfeiting and piracy, and eliminate grey market. Promote these steps as vital to enhancing productivity and competitiveness, creating jobs, saving lives, advancing economic growth, and generating breakthrough solutions to challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Objective 4

Highlight areas in which U.S. business and AmCham member companies are contributing to economic and social development in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Objective 5

Promote the rule of law as a critical factor in fostering a hemispheric investment climate that supports equality, economic growth, and shared prosperity for the citizens of Latin America and the Caribbean. Foster a global business environment where countries respect the rule of law, foster legal certainty, and provide due process under law to investors, producers, and service providers of every nationality by highlighting shortcomings related to the rule of law and advocating for their prompt and just resolution.

Objective 5 (continued)

Support constitutionalism as the underpinning for the broader application of the rule of law. Create awareness of the importance of security in fostering a sound investment environment. Raise awareness of the private sector as a voice on public security debates and policies.

2011 Draft Program of Work

Part 2: The Institutional Agenda

Key Areas of Focus

1. Alternative Dispute Resolution2. Best Practices 3. Leadership Circles 4. Pan American Development

Foundation 5. Staff Exchanges

Trade Facilitation Task Force

Francisco X. Santeiro

Trade Facilitation Task Force Members

Chairs Frank Santeiro, Managing Director,

Global Trade Services, Latin America & Caribbean Division, FedEx Express

Mission Statement

Promote the adoption of trade facilitation and customs modernization measures throughout the Western Hemisphere that enhance regional and national competitiveness and security. These include measures that will make the flow of international commerce faster and more efficient and that will reduce trade transaction costs significantly.

Objectives and Goals

• Educate on the importance of trade facilitation and promote its adoption by continuing to share information with government authorities, policymakers, and the private sector on the benefits of trade facilitation and the costs borne by all economic actors as a result of poor customs/ports performance.

Objectives and Goals

• Encourage governments to adopt the revised World Customs Organization (WCO) International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonization of Customs procedures, also known as the Revised Kyoto Convention, which provides for the simplification and harmonization of customs procedures.

• Ensure a balanced and effective use of risk analysis given the increasing security demand on the global-supply chain by educating relevant parties on the effects of facilitating legitimate trade, in accordance with FTA or other international treaty obligations as appropriate.

Proposed Activities

• Continue developing the Trade Facilitation Survey and use as leverage to advocate in each country in the region for adoption of the Revised Kyoto Convention. The Secretariat will release country specific reports on a rolling country-by-country basis, meeting with relevant officials as a critical mass of respondents is met for each country.

Proposed Activities

• Update, circulate, and promote the trade facilitation toolkit as a renewed resource for stakeholders and communicate with embassies so that they are aware of the toolkit and utilize it to greatest effect.

• Continue to promote collaboration, maintain contacts, and expand working relationships with key organizations like the IDB, the World Bank, CLADEC, the WCO, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and others, to create working coalitions with relevant AmChams to aid in trade facilitation.

Proposed Activities

• Identify, consolidate, and release reports to assist in the dissemination of best practices, standards, recommendations, systems, case studies, supply chain operation, and on the benefits of reducing trade costs and utilizing information technologies for countries and companies. (within this point, it was pointed out that the AmChams should share the effectiveness of their Trade Facilitation seminars/workshops in Miami as a way of sharing best practices)

Proposed Activities

• Advocate on the relevant benefits identified in the U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico 21st century border report and efforts in the APEC and other around the world to the rest of the region in the hope that this program can be expanded to other countries.

Market AccessTask Force

Michael Ralsky

Market Access Task Force Members

ChairMichael Ralsky, Director of Global

Government Relations, Navistar

Mission Statement

Actively promote the expansion of free trade with and within the hemisphere through advocacy, educational, and public relations activities.

Objectives and Goals

• Promote trade liberalization in the hemisphere through harmonization of trade agreements, bilateral tax and investment treaties, and trade preference programs.

• Ensure rapid implementation of the U.S.-Colombia and the U.S.-Panama trade agreements.

• Push for full implementation and enforcement of existing trade agreements, and limit backsliding on existing levels of market openness.

Objectives and Goals

• Work to preserve, extend, enhance, and broaden the benefits of unilateral trade preference programs (such as ATPDEA, CBI, and GSP) through appropriate program reform. Work to ensure that relevant programs can be made available to countries meeting eligibility criteria.

• Help ensure that the benefits of duty free trade and open investment are more broadly shared and understood throughout our societies. Encourage and facilitate trade missions between AmChams and local and state chambers and development agencies.

Objectives and Goals

• Work to change the tone of the trade debate and build bridges to non-traditional supporters of trade.

• Support the development of new and non-traditional vehicles for trade liberalization, regulatory cooperation, and harmonization, such as sectoral agreements, multilateral trade agreements, regulatory dialogues, and trade agreement harmonization mechanisms, among other things.

Proposed Activities

• Engage the U.S. Administration in support of rapid implementation of FTAs with Colombia and Panama through regularly scheduled meetings with officials.

• Meet with Members of U.S. Congress to convey AACCLA positions regarding trade preference programs, and support legislation to renew preference programs.

Proposed Activities

• Communicate AACCLA’s positions in support of vigorous regional engagement in the Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations and other vehicles for multilateral trade liberalization.

• Submit substantive commentary on trade and investment issues, including testimony before the Congress, executive branch agencies, and within the news media.

Proposed Activities

• Expand grassroots initiatives and support trade missions by partnering with AmChams, chambers of commerce, world trade centers, economic development offices, small and medium sized enterprises.

• Develop associate memberships and other initiatives, to deliver the message of the importance of both international trade and free trade agreements, specifically for small and medium-sized companies.

Objectives and Goals

• Advocate on behalf of the private sector to ensure that Latin American and Caribbean delegations in multilateral organizations such as the WTO, WIPO, and WHO support compliance with IP provisions in international treaties (such as TRIPS) and trade agreements.

• Oppose any efforts to weaken IP rights, whether through the issuance or implementation of compulsory licenses (CLs) or copyright and trademark infringements, or the issuance of marketing approvals for copycat products that infringe on those rights.

Proposed Activities

• Support AmChams as they work with local partners to conduct workshops and training seminars for government officials, enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges, including through the identification of speakers slates and high level conferences.

Proposed Activities

• Partner with AmChams in Latin America and the Caribbean to unite with key allies and encourage more dialogue and interaction between the private sector and local governments to raise awareness about the costs of patent, trademark, and copyright infringements. Possible partnerships include events in recognition of World Intellectual Property Day.

Proposed Activities

• Work with the AmChams to highlight to government officials and consumers the disadvantages and dangers of counterfeit and grey market products. Develop leave behind materials that explain, for example, that the commercialization of counterfeit and grey market goods does not generate tax revenues for governments and it prevent the creation of formal jobs in the countries where those goods are sold. Other messages that could be highlighted include: illegitimate products are not been certified in-country; they are not subject to local regulation; there are health and safety concerns associated with them; they are not sold with warranties /backed by legal guarantee; there are difficulties for consumers with service and repair; there is possible illegal or unauthorized use of remanufactured parts or sale of remanufactured devices as new; and that they do not comply with environmental rules.

Proposed Activities

• Establish an interactive forum to encourage AmChams to exchange best practices, share intelligence, identify champions, and track events for the development of strong, effective, and timely IP and anti-counterfeiting awareness programs. This could include the use of social networks.

• Compile data from appropriate sources and work to develop talking points that the AmChams can use for outreach to governments, media and other third parties to raise awareness of the macroeconomic and microeconomic impact of strong IP regimes.

Rule of LawTask Force

Aldo Defilippi and Jose Zozaya

Rule of LawTask Force Members

ChairAldo Defilippi, Executive Director,

American Chamber of Commerce of Peru

Jose Zozaya, President and Executive Representative, Kansas City Southern de México

Mission Statement

Promote the rule of law as a critical factor in fostering a hemispheric investment climate that supports equality, economic growth, and shared prosperity for the citizens of Latin America and the Caribbean. Foster a global business environment where countries respect the rule of law, foster legal certainty, and provide due process under law to investors, producers, and service providers of every nationality by highlighting shortcomings related to the rule of law and advocating for their prompt and just resolution. Support constitutionalism as the underpinning for the broader application of the rule of law. Create awareness of the importance of security in fostering a sound investment environment. Raise awareness of the private sector as a voice on public security debates and policies.

• The Rule of Law Task Force seeks to promote six core areas related to judicial, legal, and regulatory processes; governance; and constitutions, recognizing that circumstances will differ significantly by country:

• Due Process• Transparency• Non-Discriminatory Practices• Legal certainty, including contracts and trade agreements• Elimination of Corruption• Reinforcement of Constitutional Protections

• In addition, the Task Force seeks to promote the adoption of prevention measures to reduce security risks for companies.

Rule of Law Scope

Objectives and Goals

• Vigorously defend the rule of law, sanctity of contracts, and respect for property rights, including intellectual property, and advocate for the prompt and effective resolution of related conflicts through the Coalition of Rule of Law in Global Markets.

• Foster an understanding of the varying regional realities related to rule of law, ranging from those that impede business and investment, to those undermining national competitiveness, to those posing an outright threat to democratic institutions.

Objectives and Goals

• Highlight, where applicable, provisions in existing and pending trade agreements that improve governmental transparency, combat corruption, protect due process, or otherwise enhance the rule of law to assist in the promotion of such vehicles.

• Promote access to and acceptance of alternate dispute resolution, especially mediation and arbitration, and seek to advance enforceability of awards.

Objectives and Goals

• Create a network of best practices, information sharing, public engagement, and other activities designed to reduce security risks for companies, and to highlight the importance of security for investment and economic growth.

Proposed Activities

• Increase the recognition of the Coalition of Rule of Law in Global Markets by expanding its advocacy and programming.

• Work with the Americas Competitiveness Forum to promote the importance of rule of law in the competitiveness of the region’s economies.

• Explore ways to better support prompt and effective resolution of rule of law related disputes through direct advocacy to the U.S. and other national governments.

Proposed Activities

• Leverage the AmCham network to share best practices related to rule of law advocacy.

• Partner with AmChams, regional governments, think tanks, academic institutions, NGOs and others like the World Justice Project and the Inter-American development Bank to highlight the importance of the rule and law in fostering a business climate that is conducive to investment and economic growth.

• Conduct activities to promote the rule of law as central to the region’s long-term stability, economic growth, and social cohesion.

Proposed Activities

• Participate in relevant fora in order to offer substantive commentary on the importance of rule of law to investment climate and economic growth.

• Explore ways to leverage partnership with American Arbitration Association.

• Create Fact Sheets, bulletpoints, and other reports, including an AACCLA Rule of Law Report, to aid in the dissemination of information concerning the importance of the rule of law in fostering hemispheric growth.

Proposed Activities

• Create a security toolkit for companies.• Share information on security through the

Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) of the Department of State.

Corporate Social Responsibility Task Force

Kathy Barclay

Corporate Social Responsibility

Task Force MembersChair Kathy Barclay, Former Chair, AACCLA

Mission Statement

Highlight areas in which U.S. business and AmCham member companies are contributing to economic and social development in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Objectives and Goals

• Promote the image of U.S. business and AmCham member companies among the governments and general public.

• Highlight the role that free enterprise and the private sector play in the economic and social development in the region through formal job creation, social cohesion, and other efforts. Work with relevant U.S. government agencies and embassies abroad to coordinate efforts to bring to the fore the work of U.S. companies in the region.

Objectives and Goals

• Share information and best practices of innovative ways to better “tell the story” of the role of the private sector in the region, including the ways AmChams support CSR programs among its members.

Proposed Activities

• Continue to work on the AACCLA / U.S. Department of Commerce joint project, “Prosperity in the Americas” via a la carte options to disseminate CSR information collected by AmChams and through the “Prosperity in the Americas” project by using:

• CSR Committee Training: The Americas Team in the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce can provide training and best practices for AmCham CSR committees via webinars, conference calls, and/or country visits.

• Recognition from Commerce Secretary Bryson: On the occasion of an AmCham’s CSR awards or CSR gala, the Department of Commerce will provide a letter of congratulations from the Secretary for publication in local media and/or the AmCham magazine.

Proposed Activities

• Maintain, promote, and update the Corporate Social Responsibility chapter of the AACCLA Best Practice Manual.

• Promote and strengthen the second annual Western Hemisphere Corporate Citizenship Award in conjunction with the U.S. Chamber’s Business and Civic Leadership Center’s (BCLC) Annual Corporate Citizenship Awards Dinner.

Proposed Activities

• Create an AACCLA CSR report involving contributions of U.S. business in corporate sustainability

• Seek opportunities for CSR training and development among AmChams, including outside resources in the United States and the region, like the IDB’s Multilateral Investment Fund.