The format and procedure of the discussions were extended to this forum, where participants attended 12 workshops reflecting the majority of the topics of the official meetings.

The great number of recommendations reflected the large range of opinion and field of research. Nonetheless there was general agreement on the principles for the negotiations.

The forum's recommendations became more oriented towards the work of government officials at the level of FTAA official working groups. The forum made recommendations in the fields of: market access, standards and non-tariff barriers, Customs procedures and certificates of origin, subsidies, anti-dumping and countervailing rights, competition policies, government procurement, technology and intellectual property rights, investment, services, infrastructure, sustainable economic development, and the role played by the private sector in the FTAA process.