SEE ALSO:
press releases
WTO news
Mike Moore's speeches
Renato Ruggiero's speeches,
1995-99
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Summary of main points
- The focus of
the meeting was on market access, with new papers from Iceland and New Zealand
which served to concentrate the debate on the trade, environment and development benefits
of removing subsidies in the fisheries sector - referred to as a "win-win-win"
situation. The FAO and the OECD briefed the CTE on their respective work on fisheries
subsidies. Several delegations noted the importance of safeguarding existing and
increasing market access for exports from developing countries in order to allow these
countries to obtain the necessary financial resources to put towards improving
environmental quality.
- Several
delegations commented on the importance of conducting environmental reviews of
trade agreements at the national level and exchanging experiences in undertaking these
reviews in the CTE.
- Reference was
made to the recently concluded Biosafety Protocol to the Biodiversity Convention
and several Members expressed the view that commitments under both agreements should be
implemented in a mutually supportive manner.
- Costa Rica
gave a detailed presentation of its Biodiversity Law. Commenting on a Secretariat paper on
the Relationship between the Biodiversity Convention and the TRIPS Agreement,
several delegations referred to the review of Article 27.3(b) in the TRIPS Council and
emphasized the need for both these agreements to be mutually supportive.
- Egypt and
Nigeria reiterated their concern about the export of domestically prohibited cosmetics
containing mercury from the EU to developing countries.
- the CTE agreed
to hold two Information Sessions with Secretariats of ten multilateral
environmental agreements (MEAs), back-to-back with the 5-6 July and 24-25 October
meetings.
- informative
statements were made by other intergovernmental organizations (FAO, OECD, ITC,
UNCTAD and UNEP) on their respective work in the area of trade and environment.
- support was
given for the Secretariat's plans to improve the WTO website on trade and
environment, and to hold a second round of regional seminars on trade and
environment with developing country government officials in 2000.
- Ambassador
Yolande Biké (Gabon)
assumed the Chair of the CTE.
Papers:
> OECD submission on its
Workshop on environmental assessment of trade liberalization agreements
>
Submission by Argentina on a meeting
regarding the "Multifunctional Character of Agriculture and Land"
>
Submission by Iceland on fisheries
>
Submission by New Zealand on fisheries
>
Submission by the FAO on its activities
related to fisheries
>
An annotated bibliography prepared by the
Secretariat of selected literature on the use of trade measures in MEAs.
>
Secretariat reports on MEA meetings: 22 November 1999 2 February 2000
>
Secretariat information note on the
T&E pages of the WTO website |
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