TN/TE/22  
 
31 July 2015  
(15-3985)  Page: 1/1  
Committee on Trade and Environment 
Special Session    
 
 COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND ENVIRONMENT IN SPECIAL SESSION 
REPORT BY THE CHAIRPERSON, AMBASSADOR WIBOONLASANA RUAMRAKSA TO THE TRADE 
NEGOTIATIONS COMMITTEE (TNC), 31 JULY 2015 
1.  Since the last formal TNC meeting, I held a series of bilateral consultations reaching out to all 
delegations and I am pleased to report that many  delegations replied positively to my call. The 
intention was to follow-up on the informal Informative Session held in March and to hear delegations' views on what contribution the grou p could make to the work program and MC 10.  
2.  As on previous occasions, delegations expressed their continued support to the environment 
chapter of the Doha negotiations. Delegations also generally reiterated their willingness to 
contribute constructively to the negotiations once there is a better understanding of the way forward on other areas of the DDA. It has also been made clear to me that the attention of 
delegations was on the core issues of the DDA negotiations at the moment. My understanding is 
that such sequencing between the work on core is sues and the work of the CTESS seems to be an 
essential element for some delegations before they can be ready to engage in any additional steps 
in the CTESS. 
3.  Turning now to a few points I would like to make regarding the specific parts of our mandate. 
First, on paragraph 31(iii) of the DDA, it is clear that the liberalization efforts on environmental goods pursued by a subset of WTO Members have im pacted the level of priority that delegations 
currently give to the topic in the CTESS. At this stage, I do not see this situation changing in the 
coming months unless delegations start to come up with concrete proposals on specific work to be undertaken under paragraph 31(iii). 
4.   Concerning the mandate on the relationship  between Multilateral Environmental Agreements 
(MEAs) and the WTO under Paragraphs 31(i) and (ii) of the DDA mandate, I sense that the Informative Session was particularly useful to delegations and helped them refresh their memory 
on this part of the mandate. I wo uld like to report that at the Informative Session as well as during 
my bilateral consultations, some delegations have expressed an interest in reengaging in the work 
related to the mandate on MEAs, as a lot of good  work has already taken place. After the summer 
break, I intend to explore with delegations what can be done to advance work on this part of the 
mandate with a view to contributing to MC10.   
5.  Over the years, WTO Members have put a lo t of work into trying to move the trade and 
environment mandate forward. While I understan d that Members are still reflecting on the 
contribution that can be made for MC10, I have also not heard in my consultations any delegations 
disagreeing with the importance of moving forwar d on environment. 2015 is a significant year for 
the environment and the world's attention will also be on what we, the WTO, can do.   
6.  When we return in September, we need to bu ild on the goodwill expressed by delegations, and 
to work seriously and constructively towards MC10. Therefore, I would urge participants to the environment negotiations to intensify their refl ections and to come back after the summer break 
with concrete proposals for an outcome.  
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