98-4228  MORE PRESS RELEASE 
PRESS/TE/026 
29 October 1998 
 
WTO COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND ENVIRONMENT 
ADOPTS 1998 REPORT  
 
  
 The WTO Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE), on 27 October 1998, adopted the 
following Report on its work in 1998.  This Report will be forwarded to the General Council at its 
meeting on 10 December.  PRESS/TE/026 
 Page 2/3 
 
  MORE REPORT (1998) OF THE COMMIT TEE ON TRADE AND ENVIRONMENT 
 
 
1. As agreed in the 1997 Report (WT/CTE/2), th e Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE) 
continued to analyze all items of the work progra mme set out in the Marrakesh Ministerial Decision 
on Trade and Environment under the Chairmanship of Ambassador Chak Mun See (Singapore).  In 
order to advance the discussions in 1998, the CTE b ased its analysis on the "cluster approach" under 
the themes of market access and th e linkages between the multilateral environment and trade agendas.   
2. The CTE held three meetings in 1998 (see attach ed Annex).  The 19-20 March meeting addressed 
those items of the work programme relevant to the theme of market access, items 2, 3, 4 and 6, and included a sector specific discussion of agriculture, energy, fisheries, forestry, non-ferrous metals, 
textiles and clothing, leather a nd environmental services.  The sectoral discussions and working 
documents, including those based on national experi ence, have helped the process of identifying 
situations where removing trade restrictions and di stortions has the potential to be of economic and 
environmental benefit.   
3. The focus of the meeting held on 23-24 July was on those items related to the multilateral 
environment and trade agendas, including items 1, 5, 7 and 8.  On 23 July, the CTE held an 
information session with a broad range of Secret ariats of Multilateral Environmental Agreements 
(MEAs) relevant to the work of the CTE in or der to inform Members on developments in these 
agreements.  The meeting helped to deepen the understanding of delegati ons of the relationship 
between the objectives and provisions of MEAs a nd the WTO.  The 26-28 October meeting focused 
on Items 9, 10, both thematic clusters, and adopte d this report of the CTE to the General Council. 
4. In fulfilment of the recommendation in the 1996 Report of the CTE to the Singapore Ministerial 
Conference (WT/CTE/1), the CTE established a WT O Environmental Database according to which 
the Secretariat will undertake a comprehensive annual re view of all environment -related notifications.  
The development of this database represents an impor tant step towards increas ing the transparency of 
trade-related environmental measures which are notified by WTO Members. 
5. A Symposium on Trade, Environment and Sustainable Development with representatives of non-
governmental organizations (NGOs) was organized by the Secretariat, under its responsibility, on 
17-18 March 1998.  The Symposium included the participation of approximately 50 NGOs, the 
Director-General of the WTO, the Secretary Gene ral of UNCTAD, the Executive Secretary of UNEP, 
the Deputy Administrator of UNDP, and representatives of WTO Member governments.  The meeting provided a valuable opportunity for the ex change of views and information.   
6. Regional seminars on trade and environment for government officials from developing countries 
and economies in transition were organized in 1998 by the Secretariat.  The objective of these 
seminars was to raise awareness on the linkage s between trade, environment and sustainable 
development and to enhance the dialogue between  policymakers from Ministries of both trade and 
environment in WTO Member governments.  Funding for these seminars was provided by 
Hong Kong, China;  the Netherlands and Norway. 
7. In 1998, the CTE extended observer status to th e World Intellectual Property Organization and 
the International Plant Ge netic Resources Institute. 
8. The CTE agreed to hold three meetings in 1999 (February, June and October) to advance the 
analysis of all the items on its work programme b ased on the "cluster approach" under the themes of 
market access and the linkages between the mu ltilateral environment and trade agendas.  The 
contribution of Members, including where possible their national experiences, on the items of the 
work programme should enrich these discussions a nd move forward the process of fulfilling the tasks 
mandated in the terms of reference of the CTE. PRESS/TE/026 
Page 4  
 
  END ANNEX 
 
COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND ENVIRONMENT 
 
Work Programme and Schedule of Meetings for 1998 
 
1. As agreed in the 1997 Report of the Comm ittee on Trade and Environment (WT/CTE/2), the 
CTE will continue to broaden and deepen the anal ysis of all Items on its work programme based on 
the "cluster approach" under the themes of ma rket access and the linkages between the multilateral 
environment and trade agendas.  Time will be allotted for Members, if they so wish, to return to Items 
discussed at the previous meeting. 
 2. The CTE's meeting on 19-20 Marc h will address those Items relevant to the theme of market 
access, including:   
Item 2:  the relationship between environmenta l 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 purposes relating to products, including 
standards and technical regulations, packaging, labelling and recycling; 
Item 4:  the provisions of the multilateral tradin g 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 23-24 July, the CTE will di scuss the Items related to the linkages between 
the multilateral environment agenda and th e multilateral trade agenda, including:  
 
Information session with selected Secretariats  of Multilateral Environmental Agreements; 
Item 1:  the relationship between the provisions of the multilateral trading system and trade 
measures for environmental purposes, including those pursuant to multilateral environmental agreements; 
Item 5:  the relationship between the dispute settlement mechanisms in  the multilateral trading 
system and those found in multilate ral environmental agreements; 
Item 7:  the issue of exports of domestically prohibited goods;  and Item 8:  the relevant provisions of the Agre ement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual 
Property Rights. 
 4. On 26-28 October, the CTE's discussions will include: 
 
Items under the market access cluster (Items 2, 3, 4 and 6); Items under the linkages between the multilateral envi ronment and trade agendas cluster (Items 1, 5, 
  7 and 8); 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 arrangeme nts for relations with 
intergovernmental and non-govern mental organizations referred to in Article V of the 
WTO;  and  
1998 Report of the CTE to the General Council.