9413323 Smith This project will plan, organize, and conduct research to address the requirements of the North American Free Trade Agreement as that Agreement relates to the practice of engineering in the US, Mexico, and Canada. The focus of the project is on the Development of Professional Standards for Professional Services set forth in Annex 1210.5 of Chapter 12 of the Agreement, involving professional conduct and ethics. Its goal is to develop recommendations on muturally acceptable standards and criteria on professional conduct and ethics for consideration by the NAFTA Forum on Engineering Practice and other appropriate groups within the three nations. The recommendations will include fundamental understandings of the responsibilities of engineers to clients, governments and public. This effort involves a team of six, two from each nation, advised by four consultants with expertise in global ethics. The project involves several meetings and interim research between May and August 1994, in order to identify major issues on ethics and professional conduct, draft ideas on how they should be addressed, develop a preliminary report to the NAFTA Forum on Engineering Practice meeting in June, and a final list and preliminary outline of recommendations for the next NAFTA meeting which is likely to occur in the Fall in Canada. After this, a final report will be prepared and distributed appropriately. Addressing these issues of professional conduct and ethics is critical to the implementation of a viable Agreement that will be beneficial to all three nations in our future involvements in professional engineering practice. ***
