May 28, 2015
U.S.-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council unveils new cooperative agreements & workplans
On May 28 the U.S.-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council released Regulatory Partnership Statements and annual Work Plans, signifying an important progression of regulatory cooperation between the two countries. 
Since the release of the RCC's Joint Forward Plan last August, Canadian Ministries and Federal U.S. Departments have been working to develop frameworks for cooperation. 

These Regulatory Partnership Statements outline how cooperative activities will be managed between the agencies, including high-level governance, opportunities for stakeholder input and engagements, and the annual review of work plans.

The Pacific NorthWest Economic Region has facilitated the collection of valuable input for some of these framework agreements and work plans from private sector and government stakeholders throughout the region. 

Specific recommendations drawn from our stakeholders and included in the work plans include; aligning energy efficiency standards for appliances, expanding the use of natural gas in transportation, and electronic certification for live animals.

"US - Canada Regulatory Cooperation is vital to the continued economic competitiveness of this region. The 'Regulatory Partnership Statements and detailed Work Plans' released today are an important step toward making this effort a permanent part of the institutional landscape in both the US and Canada, and stakeholders from both countries need a robust system for input into the process, especially for new materials," said Matt Morrison, CEO of the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region. 

"We are particularly happy to see Electronic Certification of live animals as one of the areas in the work plan, with benchmark target dates for implementation."
The Regulatory Partnership Statements and Work Plans for agencies collaborating on the Regulatory Cooperation Council are listed below:

U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) - Canadian Food Inspection Agencies (CFIA)

Regulatory Partnership Statement

Work plans: 

Plant Health 

Animal Health 

Meat Inspections 

 

 

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - Canadian Food Inspection Agencies (CFIA) 

Regulatory Partnership Statement

 

Work plans: Food Safety

 

 

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) -- Transport Canada (TC) 

Regulatory Partnership Statement

 

Work plans: 

Connected Vehicles

Motor Vehicle Standards

Rail Safety

Transport of Dangerous Goods

Aviation Regulations

 

 

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - Health Canada (HC)

Regulatory Partnership Statement


Work plans: 

Pharmaceutical and Biological Products
Over-the-Counter Products
Medical Devices
Veterinary Drugs

 


U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Pesticide Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) 

Regulatory Partnership Statement

Work plans: 

Joint IT Solutions
Joint Template: Product Chemistry Reviews
Pollinator Protection

 


U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) - Health Canada (HC)

Regulatory Partnership Statement

Work plans: 

Workplace Chemicals


U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) - Transport Canada (TC) 

Regulatory Partnership Statement 1 & 

Regulatory Partnership Statement 2

Work plans: 

Marine Safety & Security (Program)
Marine Safety & Security (Operational)

 


U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Transport Canada (TC) 

Regulatory Partnership Statement
 

Work plans:
Locomotive Emissions


 

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) - Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) 

Regulatory Partnership Statement


Work plans: 

Energy Efficiency Standards
Natural Gas Standards


 

U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) - Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) 

Regulatory Partnership Statement

Work plans: 

Explosive Classification
 

 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Environment Canada (EC) 

Regulatory Partnership Statement

Work plans: 

Chemicals Management


 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - Department of Fishery and Oceans (DFO) 

Regulatory Partnership Statement

Work plans: 

Aquaculture 

 
The Beyond the Border Forward Plan and Regulatory Cooperation Council Work Plans will be discussed at PNWER's upcoming 2015 Annual Summit in Big Sky, Montana. We hope to see you there!
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