Standards and Trade Geneva, 16 and 17 May 2002 UNCTAD TRADE, ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

Environmental requirements/SPS measures Key questions Effects, both positive and negative, on exports from developing countries Constraints, costs of compliance Perceptions (protection/protectionism) Responses at national/regional levels Recommendations to mitigate adverse trade effects and strengthen capacities to respond to these standards (a) national/regional (b) bilateral/multilateral (c) multilateral trading system

Sectors South Asia Fishery products Peanuts, rice, spices, tea Organic products Central America Fishery products Poultry Organic products Africa Fishery products Horticulture Organic products

Outputs Research in three developing regions –South Asia –Eastern Africa, Mozambique –Central America Three regional scoping papers Overall scoping paper Scoping paper on organic agriculture

Objectives of this meeting? Review scoping papers What conclusions can be drawn? Enhance co-operation and co- ordination Discuss possible follow-up activities

Agenda, day 1 Environmental requirements/SPS measures Regional experiences –South Asia –Africa –Central America Fish and fish products Organic agricultural products

Agenda, day 2 The Impact of Standards and SPS Measures in Selected Food Sectors Strengthening capacities WTO aspects The way forward

Environmental requirements

Environment-related NTMs Technical standards and regulations –Product content (limit values for certain substances) –Banned substances –Recycled content –Emissions –Energy efficiency –Recycable, degradable Packaging regulations Labelling –Mandatory labelling –Voluntary labelling (e.g. eco-labelling)

Environment-related NTMs Certain SPS measures Licenses (MEAs) Quantitative restrictions (MEAs) –CITES –Basel Convention –Montreal Protocal –International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) Taxes and charges Informal requirements (non-government) –Buyers requirements –NGO actions

Notifications to the WTO, 2000 Source: WT/CTE/W/195 AreaTotalEnv.Examples TBT63997 SPS46827 Food safety Subsidies13332 Investm., regional aid, energy Agriculture22940 Env programmes (green box) Licensing7017 Basel, CITES, Montreal Protocol Safeguards871 Import of wheat gluten Cust. Val.363 Dangerous products, wastes RTAs16 Almost all have env. provisions TRIPS3285 Non-patentability living beings, negative env. impact, compulsory licensing QRs?5 CITES, Montreal Protocol Used vehicles

WTO, 2000 No environment related notifications under Anti-dumping State trading GATS Balance of Payments Textiles and clothing Preshipment inspection Rules of origin Government procurement Information technology Source: WT/CTE/W/195

Notifications to the TBT Agreement YearNumber of environment- related TBT notifications Total number of TBT notifications Percentage of environment- related TBT notifications Source: WT/CTE/W/195

Africa Pesticide residues Standards for maximum residue levels for pesticides Packaging requirements Has created some concern Eco-labellingMay become more important in the cut flowers and fisheries sectors TimberExports may be affected by consumer boycotts and/or timber certification. CITESIvory trade Montreal Protocol Methyl bromide, used in agriculture