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SPP.GOV
http://www.spp.gov
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Note: The following text is an exact quote:
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http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/interapp/press_release/press_release_0695.xml

Press Releases

Fact Sheet: Security and Prosperity Partnership
On March 23, 2005, the United States, Canada and Mexico entered into an unprecedented trilateral Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) to establish a common security strategy and promote economic growth, competitiveness and quality of life. At their meeting in Waco, TX, President Bush, President Fox and Prime Minister Martin pledged to:

“...establish a common approach to security to protect North America from external threats, prevent and respond to threats within North America, and further streamline the secure and efficient movement of legitimate, low-risk traffic across our shared borders.”

The elected leaders called for Ministerial-led working groups to consult with stakeholders in each country and establish working groups to develop measurable and achievable goals. Within 90 days, the Ministers were to submit an initial, trilateral report. Because the SPP is designed to be an ongoing mechanism for trilateral cooperation, the working groups will continue to meet on a regular basis.

To further North American security goals, the elected leaders called for the three countries to:

Implement common border security and bioprotection strategies
Enhance critical infrastructure protection and implement a common approach to emergency response
Implement improvements in aviation and maritime security, combat transnational threats, and enhance intelligence partnerships
Implement a border facilitation strategy to build capacity and improve the legitimate flow of people and cargo at our shared borders
Implementation Report

The SPP countries have agreed to these, and other, North American security goals:

North American Trusted Traveler Program. All three countries have agreed to create a single, integrated program for North American trusted travelers by 2008. Individuals applying for trusted traveler status would be able to apply for the program and pay relevant fees in one transaction. Enrolled participants would have access to all established trusted travel lanes at land crossings, airports and marine programs. A single North American Trusted Traveler Program embodies the intent of the SPP to establish optimum security goals while accelerating legitimate cross-border trade and travel. The U.S. will also be working cooperatively to identify Western Hemisphere travel document standards required under the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004.

Preparedness and Incident Management Systems Integration. The United States, Canada and Mexico have agreed to transform North American preparedness for response to large-scale incidents by establishing protocols for incident management that impact border operations within 12 months. Protocols will also address maritime incidents, cross-border public health emergencies and cross-border law enforcement response.

The SPP countries have also committed to ensure interoperable communications systems and to participate in preparedness exercises that will strenuously test these protocols. In addition, the three countries will participate in a preparedness exercise in anticipation of the 2010 Vancouver/Whistler Winter Olympics.

Border Enforcement. The United States and Mexico will form joint intelligence-sharing task forces along the U.S.-Mexico border to target criminal gang and trafficking organizations and reduce violence along the border.

The United States and Canada will coordinate maritime enforcement programs to address the huge volume of boat traffic in our shared waterways.

Facilitated Flow of Legitimate Cargo and Travel Across Land Borders. The United States, Canada and Mexico have agreed to review our transportation and border facility needs, in partnership with stakeholders, and develop a plan to prioritize future port-of-entry-related infrastructure investments.

All three countries are considering programs to reduce transit times and border congestion by expanding trusted traveler programs to additional ports of entry and partnering with public and private sector stakeholders to establish “low-risk” ports of entry for the exclusive use of those enrolled in our trusted trade and traveler programs.

The United States and Canada, along with local stakeholders, are working to reduce the transit times by 25 percent at the Detroit-Windsor gateway within 6 months, and all three countries are exploring ways to expand this innovative 25 Percent Challenge to other North American land border crossings within the next 18 months.

By December of this year, the United States and Canada governments expect to complete an agreement on a pre-clearance pilot program at the Peace Bridge in Buffalo, NY, contingent on Canadian legislative amendments. Within six months, both countries will also develop a plan to expand the Vancouver NEXUS-Air pilot program to other United States air pre-clearance sites in Canada and examine the feasibility of expanding the eligibility for NEXUS-Air to include Mexican nationals.

Shared Watchlists and Integrated Traveler Screening Procedures. The United States, Canada and Mexico have agreed to strengthen information sharing related to terrorists and criminals. Effective information exchange among North American countries is essential to strengthening our capability to prevent acts of terror within and outside North America.

The United States, Canada and Mexico have also agreed to establish compatible screening standards for land, sea and air travel to identify and prevent high risk travelers and cargo before they depart for North America. Additionally, recommendations will be made on the enhanced use of biometrics in screening travelers destined to North America.

On an ongoing basis, the SPP will enable all three countries to address and resolve gaps in cross-border information sharing. Ultimately, all travelers arriving in North America will experience a comparable level of screening.

Maritime and Aviation Security. The SPP countries will also be working toward comparable standards for hold baggage and passenger screening, implementing no-fly programs throughout North America, and developing new protocols for air cargo inspection. Likewise, we will also be working to develop compatible maritime regulatory regimes and to strengthen information sharing and coordinated operations in the maritime domain.

SPP Accomplishments – The First 90 Days

Building upon strong relations and major security advances made since 9/11, the three countries have already taken several important steps on trilateral or bilateral initiatives that advance our common North American security agenda. Highlights of progress made during SPP’s first 90 days, include:

Cargo and Port Security

The three countries jointly promoted the newly adopted World Customs Organization’s Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade, which for the first time in history establishes common standards for secure trade at all major international ports
United States and Canadian officials conducted three port security exercises to evaluate joint response capability to terrorist attacks in the Great Lakes area
United States and Canada completed 94 joint initial verification exams of vessels in the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes, to ensure compliance with international security regulations
United States and Canada have implemented a NEXUS-Marine pilot program in Windsor-Detroit for seasonal boaters
Public Safety

United States and Mexican officials recently agreed to establish a standardized Alien Smuggler Prosecutions Program, which expands upon previous efforts to identify and prosecute violent human smugglers
Border Infrastructure

United States and Mexican governments have completed the reviews necessary to approve construction of two new commercial lanes at Nogales, AZ; construction is scheduled to be completed within 6 months, with an opening by November 2005
United States and Canada have identified the site for the second land pre-clearance pilot program at the Thousand Island Bridge; all Canadian border operations will be re-located from Lansdowne, Ontario to Alexandria Bay, NY
United States and Canadian governments have reached an agreement to increase capacity on the United States side of the Blue Water Bridge by 17 percent. Improvements at the Detroit-Windsor gateway are planned for early this fall
Information Sharing

United States and Canadian governments have agreed to exchange officers between their respective facilities, the National Targeting Center in the U.S. and the Nationals Risk Assessment Centre in Canada, to help improve coordination and enhance information sharing
Science & Technology

United States and Canadian authorities have completed a comprehensive Coordinated Risk Assessment to identify and prioritize major collaborative science and technology initiatives and are expected to complete their final report late this summer
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June 27, 2005