Invitation for Public Comments

According to Article 10 of the North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation, the Council of Ministers within four years shall review the Agreement's "operation and effectiveness in the light of experience". The Agreement came into force on January 1, 1994.

As part of this review the Council has decided to invite written comments from the public. Members of the public are invited to submit their comments on the operation and effectiveness of the North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation to the international Secretariat of the Commission for Labor Cooperation or to any of the National Administrative Offices of Canada, the United States or Mexico at the addresses listed below. Comments may be submitted by mail, FAX or e-mail, and must be received prior to December 31, 1997.

Attached to this notice is a copy of the full process for review of the North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation as adopted by the Council of Ministers. For further information please contact the Secretariat.

NAALC Review Process

Article 10:1(a) of the NAALC, provides that: "the Council shall oversee the implementation and develop recommendations on the further elaboration of the NAALC and, to this end, shall, within four years after the date of entry into force of the NAALC, review its operation and effectiveness in light of experience."

The Parties have agreed to the following process for the review:

1. The Secretariat will prepare a general overview of the activities undertaken under the Agreement since coming into force on January 1, 1994, including: cooperative activities, public communications, NAO and Ministerial consultations, and Secretariat reports.

2. Each Party will request comments on the operation and effectiveness of the NAALC from their National and Government Advisory Committees and will transmit these comments to the Secretariat.

3. The Commission will issue an invitation for written public comments to be submitted to the Secretariat or to the National Administrative Offices. Comments received by the NAOs will be transmitted verbatim to the Secretariat.

4. Each Party will choose a non-governmental labor expert from their National Advisory Committee or an alternate chosen by the Party, to serve on a Review Committee, which will provide an independent Advisory Report to the Council on the operation and effectiveness of the NAALC. The Secretariat will provide support to the Review Committee.

5. After the consultation process, the Secretariat shall consolidate the inputs received through the methods discussed above and submit a draft report for consideration by the Council. The draft report should include: (a) the general overview; (b) highlights from the input received in the consultation process including comments from the Executive Director on the operation of the Secretariat; and (c) the Advisory Report of the Review Committee. In preparing the draft report the Secretariat will examine literature related to the NAALC and will identify key issues for consideration by the Council.

6. The Council will consider the above information and issue a "Report on the Review of the NAALC." This final report, including an Executive Summary, will be made available to the public and will include the Review Committee's Advisory Report to Council. The Executive Summary of the Council's Report will be included in the Labor Commission's 1997 Annual Report.