. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/GEN/9 
1 July 2004  
 
(04-2826) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
 
STATEMENT BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNCTAD AT THE  
TBT COMMITTEE MEETING OF 1 JULY 2004 
 
Agenda Item 5:  Technical Cooperation
 
  The following document, dated 29 June 2004, is being circulated at the request of the 
UNCTAD
. 
 
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1. The UNCTAD secretariat and Inmetro (the Nati onal Institute of Metrology, Standardization 
and Industrial Quality, Ministry of Development, I ndustry and Foreign Trade of Brazil) jointly held a 
pre-UNCTAD XI workshop in Rio de Janeiro on 7 and 8 June 2004.  This workshop reviewed the 
results of exploratory activities and examined the concept and modalities of a Consultative Task Force 
on Environmental Requirements and Market Access fo r Developing Countries.  Some 75 experts from 
a range of developed and deve loping countries, representing tr ade, environment and industry 
ministries, governmental, private-sector and NGO st andardization organizatio ns, intergovernmental 
organizations, and large and small-sized comp anies, participated in the workshop.  
2. Participants were of the view that a more ho listic and development-oriented approach to the 
interface of environmental requirements and market access for developing countries was required, one that should include an integrated analysis of polic y and capacity-constraints issues at three levels:  at 
the international level outside the WTO, at the WT O level and at the national and local levels in 
developing countries.  The complexity of the inte rplay between policy and capacity-building measures 
required a strategic and proactive response by expor ting developing countries, rather than a merely 
reactive, “fire-fighting” approach, and more efficient public-private di alogue and cooperation.  It also 
necessitated active collaboration by Governments a nd business associations in developed countries 
and a more coherent approach by donors.  Th e Consultative Task Force could make specific 
contributions in this regard. 
3. It was concluded that exploratory activities ha d been very helpful in guiding the discussion on 
the added value and focus of the activities of th e Task Force.  Representatives of a number of 
Governments, intergovernmental organizations, the private sector and NGOs expressed their 
willingness to actively participate in relevant activiti es of the Task Force.  This provides a good basis 
for starting the implementation of a small numbe r of well-defined and focused activities of the 
Consultative Task Force. 
4. Participants agreed that the functions of th e Task Force should be well defined, targeted, 
pragmatic, and not duplicative, with a view to addi ng value in areas of mutual interest of the parties 
concerned. In this context, the Consultative T ask Force could provide the “missing link” between 
existing mechanisms and initiatives to address specific  policy and capacity gaps.  It should facilitate 
constructive dialogue, fully coordinated with c oncerned stakeholders, on (a) sector-specific 
experience in the preparation, adoption and impl ementation of regulations  and standards and the 
related examination of possible trade implications for developing countries; (b) the development of 
holistic, proactive strategies in developing countr ies that effectively respond to environmental G/TBT/GEN/9 
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requirements in key export markets; (c) improved access to and dissemination of information on environmental requirements, including private-sector  requirements; and (d) a regular exchange of 
information among international organizations, bilate ral donors, private-sector associations and NGOs 
on those of their activities that are relevant for the Task Force. 
5. The Consultative Task Force will provide an umbrella for well-structured and focused 
dialogue and networking on relevant issues at the interface of environmental requirements and market 
access for developing countries.  Under its umbre lla, the Task Force may consider launching some 
specific, well-defined and time-limited project activ ities, whose results will aid the substantive debate 
in the Task Force.  The Task Force will regularly re view the efficiency of project activities and decide 
on their continuation or termination, or on a change in the course of action.    
6. The Consultative Task Force will start as a collaborative effort among a core group of 
supportive partners, including Governments, releva nt intergovernmental organizations, the private 
sector and concerned NGOs from developed and de veloping countries, but will be open to other 
interested stakeholders.  The Task Force and ti me-limited thematic activitie s under its umbrella will 
be implemented as a project-based activity.  
7. The activities of the Consultative Task Fo rce are not intended to “second-guess” the 
legitimacy and objectives of environmental requirement s.  Rather, they will analyse and discuss ways 
of overcoming specific developing country problem s regarding the development and implementation 
of, as well as adjustment to, such measures. 
8. The draft report of the Rio meeting has been circulated among workshop participants and will 
be revised in the light of the feedback the UNCT AD secretariat receives.  The revised report will be 
posted on UNCTAD’s trade, environment and deve lopment website in two or three weeks.  
9. Finally, the UNCTAD is planning to hold the fi rst substantive meeting of the Consultative 
Task Force back-to-back with the next TBT Committ ee meeting. This meeting would then be held on 
Friday, 5 November 2004 and (for half a day) on Saturday, 6 November 2004 in Geneva.  The objective of the meeting is to develop the work pr ogramme of the Task Force for 2005, including the 
prioritization of issues and the definition of the breadth and depth of related activities.     
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