Beyond the Border: A Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness

On February 4, 2011, the Prime Minister of Canada and the President of the United States issued a Declaration, Declaration on a Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness. The Declaration established a new long-term partnership built upon a perimeter approach to security and economic competitiveness. This means working together, not just at the border, but beyond the border to enhance our security and accelerate the legitimate flow of people, goods and services.

In December 2011, to implement the Declaration, the leaders launched the Beyond the Border: A Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness. The Action Plan outlines a range of initiatives. It also called for Canada and the United States to generate a joint Beyond the Border implementation report annually for a three year period.

Public Safety Canada is one of many federal departments and agencies working to implement the Action Plan and is leading the development and implementation of several initiatives. Below is a list of action items for which Public Safety is responsible, as well as links to key news releases and public documents for further information on specific items.

• Addressing threats early
  • Enhance understanding of the threat environment through joint assessments
  • Share information and intelligence in support of law enforcement and national security, respecting each country’s respective constitutional and legal frameworks
  • Cooperation to countering violent extremism in both countries
• Trade facilitation, economic growth and jobs
  • Implement additional pre-inspection and pre-clearance initiatives
    • News Release on Truck Cargo Pilot
  • Bring greater transparency and accountability to border fees and changes
    • Border fee inventory
    • Border fee study
• Cross-border law enforcement
  • Cooperate on national security and transnational criminal investigations
    • Canada-United States Shiprider
  • Provide interoperable radio capability for law enforcement actors
• Critical infrastructure and cyber security
  • Enhance cross-border critical infrastructure protection and resilience
    • Canada-United States Action Plan for Critical Infrastructure
  • Protect government and digital infrastructure
    • Cyber Security Action Plan between Public Safety Canada and the Department of Homeland Security
  • Expand joint leadership on international cyber-security efforts
  • Develop a framework for swiftly managing traffic in the event of an emergency
    • News Release on Canada – United States joint plan for emergency border traffic management
    • Considerations for United States – Canada Border Traffic Disruption Management 2012
  • Enhance our collective preparedness for health security threats
  • Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Emergency Management
    • News Release on Harmonizing Cross Border Emergency Communications
    • News Release on Canada-United States cooperation for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives Preparedness
• Other Beyond the Border Initiatives
  • Develop joint statement of joint Canada-United States privacy principles
    • News Release on Privacy Principles
    • Canada-United States Joint Statement of Privacy Principles
    • Backgrounder: Beyond the Border Action Plan Joint Statement of Privacy Principles

For Further information on Beyond the Border initiatives:

• Other Canadian partners include: Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Citizenship and Immigration (CIC), Privy Council Office, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Transport Canada