G/TBT/GEN/138  
 
13 February 2013  
(13-0776)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
  JOINT STATEMENTS BY FAO, ITC, UNCTAD, UNEP AND UNIDO ON THE  
EMERGING UNITED NATIONS FORUM ON SUSTAINABILITY STANDARDS 
 
This information was provided at the TBT Committee meeting of 27-28 November 2012. 
  
_______________ 
 1  INTRODUCTION 
1.1.  The rapid expansion of Voluntary Sustainability Standards, often also termed private 
standards, is having a significant impact on developing countries, including through the emerging 
role of such standards as important supply-chain management mechanisms. Voluntary Sustainability Standards are also addressing important strategic policy issues of internalization of 
environmental and social costs; promotion of sustainable production, processing and consumption 
methods, including opportunities for energy/material/resource efficiency and related cost savings; and sustainable competitiveness in growing and lucrative markets with many job- and income-
generating opportunities. 
1.2.  Against this background, Voluntary Sustai nability Standards (VSS) have the potential to 
generate significant economic and social development opportunities and can help to mitigate economic, food, water, and environmental risks in  developing countries. Ho wever, key developing 
country decision-makers frequently express concerns  about such standards, including the lack of 
credible information about them; considerable compliance costs; the marginalization of small-scale producers; the lack of harmonization and equivalence, resulting in the need to comply with 
multiple standards for a single product and market; and the lack of transparent governance. 
Therefore, VSS need to be appreciated as strategic policy issues and as means to promote sustainable development, not as ends in themselves or mere technical tools. 
1.3.  VSS are a reality in the global market. Th ey are also a trendsetter for further standard 
development, including mandatory requirements. For example, public authorities increasingly reference VSS in their provisions. It is therefore essential that developing country decision-makers 
have access to adequate and relevant information, can exchange experiences and seek assistance 
on these standards.  
1.4.  Against this very background, 5 UN agencies - FAO, ITC, UNCTAD, UNEP and UNIDO - based 
on existing mandates have jointly decided to lay the groundwork for launching the United Nations 
Forum on Sustainability Standards (UNFSS) that can help achieve the goals mentioned before and 
can give participants a voice in the global dialogue on Voluntary Sustainability Standards.  
2  WHY IS THIS INITIATIVE TA KEN BY THE UNITED NATIONS? 
2.1.  The United Nations has the mandate and objective to promote sustainable development, and 
is a neutral, credible convener of both gove rnments, the business community and civil society 
representatives. Many VSS concern public goods or services, bear on development objectives and strategies as well as on market structures and market access. The five UN agencies partnering on 
UNFSS are all actively working on VSS, includin g support with formulating national strategies, 
developing standards, impact assessment, harmonization and equivalence, coordinated capacity-building, access to affordable finance, and trade as pects of sustainability standards. The UNFSS is 
therefore not a new forum, but is rooted in the ex isting mandates and activities of the five UN G/TBT/GEN/138 
 
- 2 - 
 
  agencies. Thus, the UNFSS also aims at pooling resources, synchronizing efforts, and assuring 
policy coherence, coordination and collaboration among United Nations agencies ("The UN acting 
as one" concept) and key stakeholder groups. 
 
3  HOW IS THE UNFSS EXPECTED TO WORK? 
3.1.  The objective of UNFSS is to facilitate and strengthen the effective and active participation by 
developing countries in the international dialogue on VSS. This dialogue will inform developing 
country decision-makers about the strategic sign ificance and key policy requirements of these 
standards. The dialogue will also help the deci sion-makers formulate strategies that address the 
potential negative impacts of VSS while maximizing their sustainable development benefits. 
3.2.  The UNFSS will be demand-driven, and it s activities will respond to the needs of the 
participating stakeholders. Examples of UNFSS activities include: 
a. Holding UNFSS annual meetings and issue-focused workshops with key decision-makers 
(in government, the public and private sector, academia and non-governmental 
organizations) to identify and discuss priority issues of Voluntary Sustainability 
Standards; 
b. Undertaking research to provide reliable and independent information on the 
developmental and trade related impacts of such standards and the challenges and 
opportunities they present for the private and public sector in developing countries; 
c. Providing consistent, objective and impartial information through, for instance, 
newsletters, policy briefs, web pages and more in-depth publications on these standards; 
d. Supporting developing country decision-makers' participation in standard setting; 
e. Providing assistance to implement proactive strategies on standard implementation at 
the national level, upon the request of developing country governments. 
3.3.   All Voluntary Sustainability Standards are covered, but initial attention of the Forum may 
focus on standards in the agri-food sector and in  the area of resource- and energy efficiency, 
including product carbon footprints.  
4    WHO WILL BE INVLOVED IN UNFSS ACTIVITIES? 
4.1.  UNFSS is open to all Member States of the United Nations, but particularly seeks and 
facilitates participation by key public and private decision-makers from developing countries. UNFSS is facilitated by a Steering Committee consisting of the five partnering United Nations 
agencies. A multi-stakeholder advisory panel with  appropriate developing country representation 
supports the UNFSS process. 
5  WHAT IS THE ADDED VALUE OF UNFSS? 
5.1.  UNFSS will be an unbiased and credible policy forum that benefits from the analytical and 
empirical research, and capacity-building activities  of the participating United Nations agencies, 
engagement with a broad, multi-stakeholder adviso ry panel, and with relevant multi-stakeholder 
initiatives. This collaboration is key to improve understanding of the impacts and opportunities of 
Voluntary Sustainability Standards in developing count ries in an efficient, consistent, inclusive, and 
demand-driven manner. Given the structure of UNFSS, with guidance by 5 UN Agencies, and the expertise of its members, UNFSS is uniquely positioned to provide credible information and assist 
in giving developing countries a voice in the dialogue on standard-setting and governance. UNFSS 
is committed to addressing the growing need for standard-related information and assistance in 
developing countries and is seeking the support of all interested parties. The launching conference 
of UNFSS is scheduled for 21-22 March 2013 in Geneva. A notification on that meeting will be 
circulated through the proper diplomatic channels well in advance (a briefing for all WTO and UN delegates on the UNFSS launching conference will take place on 18 February 2013). All interested 
public and private stakeholders are called upon to  actively participate in the UNFSS process. More 
information on UNFSS can be obtained through its website at http://www.unfss.org .  
__________