I chaired a full day hearing in June that yielded valuable insight from both industry and consumer groups. The Board also solicited written comments from the public on the practices discussed at the hearing. The Board received nearly 100 comment letters, and staff is closely examining the issues raised and discussing possible remedies.
With the exception of Argentina and Uruguay, Latin America should experience better growth as a result of the economic recovery in the United States and Europe. Economic growth in most developing Asian countries slowed significantly during the year as external demand deteriorated in 2001.