WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/CTE/5
30 October 2000
(00-4527)
REPORT (2000) OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND ENVIRONMENT
1. The Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE) continued its analysis of the items of the
work programme in the Marrakesh Ministerial Decision on Trade and Environment, pursuing a cluster
approach for the themes of market access and the linkages between the multilateral environment and
trade agendas.  Discussions took place under th e Chairship of Ambassador István Major (Hungary),
followed by the Chairship of Ambassador Yolande Biké (Gabon).
2. The CTE held three meetings in 2000 (see attached Annex).  The 29 February – 1 March
meeting examined those items of the work programm e relevant to the theme of market access, items
2, 3, 4 and 6.  Discussions broadened and deepened the sectoral analysis under item 6, with particular
attention to the fisheries sector.
3. The focus of the meeting held on 5-6 July was on those items related to the multilateral
environment and trade agendas, including items 1, 5, 7 and 8.  On 5 July, the CTE held an
Information Session with the Secretariats of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) relevant
to the work of the CTE in order to inform Me mbers on the trade-related developments in these
agreements.  Presentations and papers were provided by the Convention on Biological Diversity;  the
Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer;  the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change;  and the Internati onal Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic
Tunas.  The Commission for the Conservation of Anta rctic Marine Living Resources also submitted a
paper for this session.  This meeting enhanced the CTE's understanding of the linkages between the
multilateral environment and trade agendas.
4. The 24-25 October meeting addressed items 9 and 10, as well as both thematic clusters, and
adopted this report of the CTE to the General Council.  A second MEA Information Session was held
on 24 October with the participation of the Director-General of the WTO and the Executive Directorof UNEP, thus illustrating the strong institutional commitment by the WTO and UNEP Secretariats, in
cooperation with MEA Secretariats, to identify synergies and enhance mutual supportiveness.
Presentations were made by the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora;  the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous
Wastes and their Disposal;  UNEP Chemicals on the Rotterdam Prior Informed Consent Conventionand the draft Persistent Organic Pollutants Convention;  and the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests
(IFF).  The International Tropical Timber Organization also submitted a paper for this session.
5. Members noted the important contribution of the MEA Information Sessions to increasing a
mutual understanding of the relationship between the WTO and MEAs, particularly through
identifying synergies between the WTO, UNEP and MEAs.  These sessions also provide an excellentopportunity to forge practical institutional links between the WTO, UNEP and MEA Secretariats.
6. The WTO Environmental Database (EDB) was updated for 2000 by the Secretariat in
document WT/CTE/W/143.  The EDB was established in 1998 in fulfilment of the recommendation
in the 1996 Report of the CTE to the Singapore Ministerial Conference (WT/CTE/1) to compile and
update annually all environment-related notifications to the WTO.  The list of documents circulated inthe CTE since 1995 has been circulated in WT/CTE/INF/2.Rev.1.WT/CTE/5
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7. The Secretariat organized a second series of regional seminars on trade and environment for
government officials from developing and least- developed countries in South Africa, Malta, Gabon
and Argentina in 2000.  The objective of these seminars is to raise awareness on the linkages between
trade, environment and sustainable development and to enhance the dialogue between policymakers
from Ministries of both trade and environment in developing and least-developed WTO MemberGovernments.
8. The CTE agreed to hold three meetings in 2001 (13-14 February, 27-28 June, 30-31 October)
and to continue to deepen the analysis of all items on the work programme based on the thematic
clusters.  Consideration will also be given to any other issues Members wish the Committee to address
in order to fulfill its mandate.WT/CTE/5
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ANNEX
Work Programme and Schedule of Meetings for 2000
1. The 1999 Report of the Committee on Trade and Environment (WT/CTE/4) sets out that the
CTE will continue to analyse all the items on its work programme based on the "cluster approach"under the themes of market access and the linkages between the multilateral environment and trade
agendas.  Pending the future work programme of the WTO and building on the contribution of
Members, including where possible their national experience, on the items of the work programme,
the following tentative schedule of meetings is proposed.  At each meeting, time will be allotted for
Members, if they so wish, to return to items discussed at the previous meeting.
2. The CTE meeting of 29 February - 1 March will address those items relevant to the theme of
market access, including:
Item 2: the relationship between environmental policies relevant to trade and environmental
measures with significant trade effects and the provisions of the multilateral trading
system;
Item 3: the relationship between the provisions of the multilateral trading system and:
(a) charges and taxes for environmental purposes;
(b) requirements for environmental purp oses relating to products, including
standards and technical regulations, packaging, labelling and recycling;
Item 4: the provisions of the multilateral trading system with respect to the transparency of
trade measures used for environmental purposes and environmental measures and
requirements which have significant trade effects;  and
Item 6: the effect of environmental measures on market access, especially in relation to
developing countries, in particular to the least developed among them, and
environmental benefits of removing trade restrictions and distortions.
3. At a meeting on 5-6 July the CTE will discuss the items related to the linkages between the
multilateral environment and trade agendas, including:
MEA Information Session;
Item 1: the relationship between the provisions of the multilateral trading system and trade
measures for environmental purposes, including those pursuant to multilateralenvironmental agreements;
Item 5: the relationship between the dispute settlement mechanisms in the multilateral trading
system and those found in multilateral environmental agreements;
Item 7: the issue of exports of domestically prohibited goods;  and
Item 8: the relevant provisions of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual
Property Rights.
4. On 24-25 October, the CTE's discussions will include:MEA Information Session;
Item 9: the work programme envisaged in the Decision on Trade in Services and the
Environment;
Item 10: input to the relevant bodies in respect of appropriate arrangements for relations with
intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations referred to in Article V of the
WTO;
Review of the two thematic clusters of market access (items 2, 3, 4 and 6) and the linkages between 
the multilateral environment and trade agendas (items 1, 5, 7 and 8);  and
Adoption of the 2000 Report of the CTE.
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