	Background

The Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP) was a trilateral initiative, launched in March 2005, that was intended to increase cooperation and information sharing in an effort to increase and enhance prosperity in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The SPP was a government initiative that was endorsed by the leaders of the three countries from 2005 to 2008, but it is was not a signed agreement or treaty and, therefore, contained no legally binding commitments or obligations. It could, at best, be characterized as an endeavor by the three countries to facilitate communication and cooperation across several key policy areas of mutual interest. Although the SPP built upon the existing trade and economic relationship of the three countries, it was not a trade agreement and distinct from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Some key issues for Congress regarding the SPP concerned possible implications related to private sector priorities, national sovereignty, transportation corridors, cargo security, and border security. The security working groups were chaired by the Secretary of Homeland Security and the prosperity working groups were chaired by the Secretary of Commerce. It is unclear what course of action will be taken regarding the former SPP initiatives under President Barack Obama's Administration. In August 2009, President Obama met with Mexican President Calderón and Canadian Prime Minister Harper at the North American Leaders' Summit in Guadalajara, Mexico. The leaders discussed key issues that affect the three countries and agreed to continue cooperation in these areas, but there was no mention of continuing the SPP. The U.S. government website on the SPP states that it has been archived and will not be updated. Working Group Proposals and Priorities

In 2005 and 2006, the SPP working groups provided annual reports to the three leaders of North America on the work and key accomplishments of the working groups. The 2005 report provided the initial proposals on how to accomplish the goals of the SPP. The priorities focused on increasing collaborative efforts to improve certain sectors of the economy; developing higher standards of safety and health; and addressing environmental concerns. In addition, the North American leaders agreed upon the following five priority areas for the SPP working groups: (1) Enhancement of the Global Competitiveness of North America, (2) Safe Food and Products, (3) Sustainable Energy and the Environment, (4) Smart and Secure Borders, and (5) Emergency Management and Preparedness. In February 2008, ministers from the United States, Canada, and Mexico met in Baja California, Mexico to review the progress of the working groups during the previous year and to discuss cooperative approaches for meeting challenges and opportunities in the five SPP priority areas. NACC Recommendations

The NACC report listed the following priorities to enhance North American competitiveness: 
Facilitating entry for cargo and reducing border congestion along the borders with Canada and Mexico; Establishing competitive supply chains across North America by developing efficient transportation networks, especially along the northern and southern borders of the United States; Working towards comprehensive integration of the North American automotive industry through more efficient border inspections and greater regulatory cooperation by aligning vehicle safety standards and regulations among the three countries; Implementing a trilateral Intellectual Property Action Strategy for more rigorous protection of intellectual property rights; Enhancing secure alternatives to a passport before the June 2009 date for full implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative; Strengthening trilateral communication and cooperation to prevent the entry of unsafe food and products into North America and working to make regulatory and inspection regimes for food and product safety more compatible; Encouraging development of sustainable energy technologies and protection of the environment through private sector cooperation; Ensuring emergency management planning through increased cooperation on emergency protocols, particularly those related to border traffic and prioritization of cross-border shipments during emergencies; and Enhancing cooperation in financial regulation in order to provide more efficient access to capital, to improve the availability and affordability of insurance coverage for cross-border carriers, and to find new ways for cross-border collaboration on investment.
The Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP) was a trilateral initiative that was launched in March 2005 by Canada, Mexico, and the United States to increase cooperation and information sharing for the purpose of increasing and enhancing security and prosperity in North America. President Obama met with Mexican President Calderón and Canadian Prime Minister Harper at the North American Leaders' Summit in Guadalajara, Mexico in August 2009. The three leaders discussed key issues that affect the three countries and agreed to continue cooperation in these areas, but there was no mention of continuing the SPP. It is unclear what course of action will be taken under President Barack Obama's Administration with regard to the former SPP initiatives. The U.S. government website on the SPP states that it has been archived and will not be updated.
The SPP was a government initiative that was endorsed by the Canada, Mexico, and the United States between 2005 and 2008, but it was not a signed agreement or treaty and, therefore, contained no legally binding commitments or obligations. It could, at best, be characterized as an endeavor by the three countries to facilitate communication and cooperation across several key policy areas of mutual interest. Although the SPP built upon the existing trade and economic relationship of the three countries, it was not a trade agreement and distinct from the existing North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Some key issues for Congress regarding the SPP concerned possible implications related to private sector priorities, national sovereignty, transportation corridors, cargo security, and border security.
The SPP established a number of working groups related to both the security and prosperity components of the initiative. The security working groups were chaired by the Secretary of Homeland Security and the prosperity working groups were chaired by the Secretary of Commerce. In 2005 and 2006, the SPP working groups provided annual reports to the three North American leaders on their work and key accomplishments. The 2005 report provided the initial proposals on how to accomplish the goals of the SPP. The priorities focused on increasing collaborative efforts to improve certain sectors of the economy; developing higher standards of safety and health; and addressing environmental concerns.
At the 2007 North American Leaders' Summit in Montebello, Canada, the leaders announced the following priorities for the SPP: (1) Enhancement of the Global Competitiveness of North America, (2) Safe Food and Products, (3) Sustainable Energy and the Environment, (4) Smart and Secure Borders, and (5) Emergency Management and Preparedness. In February 2008, ministers from the United States, Canada, and Mexico met in Baja California, Mexico to review the progress of the working groups during the previous year and to discuss cooperative approaches for meeting challenges and opportunities in the five SPP priority areas. In April 2008, the North American leaders held a summit to discuss how they might further advance the goals of the SPP. The three leaders decided that their respective ministers should continue to renew and focus their work in the five SPP priority areas.