Manley, Ridge release progress report on “smart border” declaration

OTTAWA (June 28, 2002) — Deputy Prime Minister John Manley and Tom Ridge, White House Homeland Security Advisor, reported “significant progress” on the Smart Border Declaration and its companion 30-point action plan signed last December.

“Having reached substantial agreement in all areas of the action plan, we are now turning our attention to ensuring the full implementation of the commitments which we have made,” Manley said.

Highlights of the report include:

• the deployment of a border-wide “fast lane” program called NEXUS to speed the flow of pre-screened low-risk travelers and launching a NEXUS – Air pilot project;

• progress on a new joint program, Free and Secure Trade (FAST), to securely and efficiently move commercial shipments across the U.S.-Canada border;

• improved speed with which the two countries can share information and intelligence, including through the creation of a total of 14 bi-national border enforcement teams over the next 18 months; and

Ridge and Manley released the Smart Border Declaration and committed to a 30-point plan on Dec. 12, 2001. It has four pillars: the secure flow of people, the secure flow of goods, secure infrastructure and information sharing, and co-ordinated enforcement.