1. UN Economic Commission for Europe “SOUND” WOOD: NEW MARKETS or NEW BARRIERS TO TRADE? - Dr. S. Kouzmine - (UNECE technical harmonization and standardization policies programme ) Romania, 24 - 27 March 2003

2. CURRENT FEATURES OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE Globalization of operations Liberalization of trade Facilitation of market access Importance (relative) of technical barriers to trade

3. CERTIFICATION TODAY Quality requirements Environmental requirements Social and Labour requirements Sustainable Development requirements WHAT NEXT ?????

4. ROLE OF “GREEN ECONOMY” ISO 14 000 standards 37,000 certificates in 112 countries (ISO 9000 - 510,000 in 161 countries) Organic food and beverages Organic - 1% (Total agri-trade-15 billion US$) Timber “Certified” forests -0,08% -1.5% (total forest area in UNECE region-1494 mln.ha) MARKET - “GREEN” or still RIPENING?

5. ECO-SCHEMES BENEFITS Reward environmentally conscious producers by: – Creating new markets – Allowing to charge a price premium – Increasing sales CONCERNS – Market entry barrier – Discrimination – Trade distortion effects – “Certify or Die”

6. DO WE NEED ECO-CERTIFICATION? Certification-watchdog of sustainability or Certification- barrier to trade/ and waste of money/resources What’s right ? Let the Market decide…

7. WHY ECO-CERTIFICATION ? To show “good” and “bad” guys (environmental products) ? To distinguish between identical products? To inform consumers (availability of real choice)? To avoid abuse?

8. PRINCIPLES Clear links to sustainable development Transparent performance indicators and standards Agreed vision and multi-stakeholder input Openness and Voluntary Tangible benefits No disguised protection

9. IS SMALL ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL ? Promotion of eco-schemes among small producers through: – More awareness (perceived benefit and commitment) – Possibilities of “self-declaration” – Establishing “paper – LESS” concepts and procedures – Group certification

10. HOW MANY ROADS MUST A MAN WALK DOWN? (How many schemes can a market sustain?) MULTIPLICITY of schemes = CONFUSION Possible solutions: – Compatibility of schemes/eco-objectives – Mutual recognition and/or equivalency of eco- schemes – Harmonization of schemes or their thresholds

11. ACTION PLAN Create “interest groups” (regional/national specific) Identify objectives, criteria Initiate dialogue, search for an agreed vision Make your voice heard/Suggest solutions Act Locally –Think Globally

12. Concerted efforts required to promote benchmarking/good practices Examples from UNECE experience:  UNECE Working Party on Technical Harmonization and Standardization Policies (WP.6) ~“International model for technical harmonization based on good regulatory practice for the preparation, adoption and application of technical regulations via the use of international standards” ~Ad hoc team of specialists on Standardization And Regulatory Techniques (“START” Team) CONCLUSIONS

13. For further information, please contact Serguei Kouzmine UN Economic Commission for Europe Secretary to the Working Party on Technical Harmonization and Standardization Policies (Working Party 6) UNECE, Office 433-1 Palais des Nations, 8- 14, avenue de la Paix CH-1211, Geneva 10, Switzerland Tel: (+41 22) 917 2771 Fax: (+41 22) 917 0479 / 917 0037 E-mail: Serguei.Kouzmine@unece.org