LETTER TO TRADE POLICY PLANNING DIVISION/COSTA RICA
Bilateral Trade Agreement with Costa Rica

Dear Mr. Picard:

I am writing in response to the Honourable Pierre Pettigrew’s March 14 letter concerning negotiation of a bilateral trade agreement with Costa Rica. CATAAlliance’s 600 high tech company members are all exporters. As a consequence, they are staunch supporters of freer trade in all markets. We urge the elimination of all barriers to trade with Costa Rica, for both goods and services.

Our members are heavily dependent on research and development for their success. Accordingly we recommend that particular attention be paid to protection of intellectual property rights during the negotiations with Costa Rica.

If we can be of any particular help, please feel free to call upon us.

Yours sincerely,

David Paterson
Executive Director, Ottawa