OTTAWA - Canadian and US officials have worked out a road map toward untangling the Byzantine system of regulations that get in the way of cross-border trade.

"Easing these trade flows, while continuing to protect public health and safety and our environment, will benefit Canadians and Americans alike," said the US Embassy in Ottawa in an online statement.

The embassy confirms the joint Canada-US Regulatory Cooperation Council now has a fully laid-out plan for what steps officials will take over the next two years to create common regulations in a host of areas, including transport along the St. Lawrence Seaway, meat inspections and new car safety standards.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and US President Barack Obama announced the creation of the RCC in December in Washington, DC, along with the Beyond the Border perimeter security agreement.

"These agreements create a new, modern border for a new century," Harper said at the time.