JOB/TE/65  
 
10 July 2020 
(20-4757) Page: 1/1 
Committee on Trade and Environment  Original: English  
 
STATEMENT OF NEW ZEA LAND ON BEHALF OF TH E PARTICIPANTS OF TH E "AGREEMENT 
ON CLIMATE CHANGE, T RADE AND SUSTAINABIL ITY" INITIATIVE  
Regular Session of the Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE) of 3 July 2020  
This document is circulated at the request  of New Zealand . 
 
1. As previously noted to this Committee, in September last year, in the margins of UNGA 
Leaders ' Week in New York, the launch of the first -of-its-kind 'Agreement on Climate Change, Trade 
and Sustainability ' (or 'ACCTS') initiative was announced by New  Zealand, Costa Rica, Fiji, Norway 
and Iceland. Since January 2020, Switzerland has also formally joined the negotiations.  
2. As Members of this Committee know, there are a host of known actions in the trade policy 
area tha t can contribute meaningfully to combatting climate change and other serious environmental 
challenges. The participants of the ACCTS initiative firmly believe that trade and environmental 
policies can and must be mutually supportive.   
3. The ACCTS initiative is intended to demonstrate in practical terms how trade rules and 
architecture can be used to support climate and broader sustainable development objectives while 
generating momentum towards an eventual multilateral outcome.   
4. Since the ACCTS launch announc ement, the COVID -19 pandemic has drastically shifted the 
global context.  In responding to this crisis, governments and businesses around the world are taking 
or considering actions with potentially wide reaching trade and climate implications.  Against this  
backdrop, we consider that the aims of the ACCTS initiative remain as pertinent and significant as 
ever.  
5. ACCTS will include trade rules that help achieve the objectives of multilateral environmental 
agreements, including the goals of the Paris Agreement,  and facilitate increased trade that 
contributes to green growth and sustainable development.  The ACCTS Agreement will be fully 
consistent with WTO rules and other international agreements.  
6. ACCTS will include measures in areas such as the removal of tarif fs on environmental goods 
and the establishment of new and binding commitments for environmental services; the 
establishment of disciplines to eliminate harmful fossil fuel subsidies; and the development of 
guidelines to inform the development and implemen tation of voluntary eco -labelling programmes 
and mechanisms.  This treaty level instrument will be open to other countries to accede to in the 
future if they are able to meet its obligations.  
7. Ultimately, the aim is that this initiative, achieved initially a mongst a subset of WTO members, 
then open to all who can meet the established standard, will be a pathfinder to multilateralism over 
time.  
8. We can advise that following the postponement of the first round of negotiations scheduled to 
occur in March 2020, d iscussions have re -commenced using videoconferencing.  Our aim remains to 
conclude our negotiations on a high quality agreement as swiftly as possible.  We remain committed 
to keeping this Committee informed of progress and are very willing to engage further  with any 
Member who has any questions or is interested in potential membership.  
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