WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  TN/TE/S/2/Rev.1 
17 February 2005 
 (05-0675) 
Committee on Trade and Environment 
Special Session  
 
 
EXISTING FORMS OF COOPERATIO N AND INFORMATION EXCHANGE  
BETWEEN UNEP/MEAS AND THE WTO 
 
Note by the Secretariat  
 
Revision  
  
 
 
  
 
1. In Paragraph 31 (ii) of the Doha Ministerial Declaration, Ministers agreed to negotiations, 
without prejudging their outcome, on "procedures fo r regular information exchange between MEA 
Secretariats and the relevant WTO committees, and the criteria for the granting of observer status."
1  
Moreover, the Doha Ministerial Declaration contai ns a number of references to the importance of 
cooperation and information exchange.  In the Prea mble, Ministers welcomed "the WTO's continued 
cooperation with UNEP and other inter-governme ntal environmental organizations. [They 
encouraged] efforts to promote cooperation be tween the WTO and rele vant international 
environmental and developmental organizations, especially in the lead-up to the World Summit on 
Sustainable Development to be held in Joha nnesburg, South Africa, in September 2002."  
2. Delegations may recall that on the information exchange component of the paragraph 31(ii) 
mandate, the CTE in Special Session has identified a number of avenues for furt her exploration in the 
negotiations, which include:  (1) formalizing MEA Information Sessions in the CTE, and organizing 
them on a regular basis;  (2) holding MEA Information Sessions on specific themes by grouping the MEAs that share a common interest;  (3) organizing meetings with MEAs in other WTO bodies, 
either together with the CTE or separately;  (4) organizing WTO parallel events at the Conference of 
the Parties (COPs) of MEAs more systematically;  (5) organizing joint WTO, UNEP and MEA technical assistance and capacity building projects;  (6) promoting the exchange of documents, while 
respecting confidential information;  (7) crea ting avenues for information exchange between 
government representatives from the trade and enviro nment sides;  and (8) establishing an electronic 
database on trade and environment.
2  Discussions on the criteria for the granting of observer status 
remain at a preliminary stage. 
3. At the launch of the negotiations in 2002, th e Secretariat was requested to prepare a note 
informing the participants of existing informati on exchange practices between the WTO and MEAs to 
assist the CTESS discussions on the information exch ange component of para graph 31 (ii) mandate.3  
The note entitled " Existing Forms of Cooperation and Information Exchange between the 
                                                      
1 WT/MIN(01)/DEC/1, 20 November 2001. 
2These ideas were presented by Ambassador Yola nde Bike, former Chai rman of the CTE in 
Special Session, to the Trade Negotiations  Committee (TNC) in document TN/TE/7. 
3 Summary Report on the First Meeting of the CTE Special Session (TN/TE/R/1, 19 April 2002). This document has been prepa red under the Secretariat's own 
responsibility and without prejudice to the positions of Members 
and to their rights and obligations under the WTO TN/TE/S/2/Rev.1 
Page 2  
 
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) /Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) 
and the WTO" was prepared in response to that request.  The present update of that note has been 
prepared in response to a further request at the October 2004 meeting of the CTESS.
4 
4. The note addresses the following topics: 
I. EXISTING FORMS OF COOPERATION BETWEEN UNEP/MEAS AND THE 
WTO............................................................................................................................ ...............2  
A. ARRANGEMENT  BETWEEN  THE  WTO  AND  UNEP  SECRETARIATS.............................2  
B. RESPECTIVE  SECRETARIATS'  TECHNICAL  COOPERATION  ACTIVITIES...................4  
1. WTO Trade and Environment Regional Seminars ...............................................................4  
2. UNEP-UNCTAD Capacity Building Task Force (CBTF) and UNEP Meetings 
Back-To-Back with the CTE....................................................................................................5  
II. EXISTING FORMS OF INFORMATION EXCHANGE BETWEEN 
UNEP/MEAS   AND THE WTO .............................................................................................6  
A. INFORMATION  SESSIONS .....................................................................................................6  
1. MEA Information Sessi ons in the CTE ..................................................................................6  
2. WTO Side Events  in MEAs......................................................................................................9  
B. BACKGROUND  NOTES  ON MEAS ........................................................................................9  
III. OBSERVER STATUS............................................................................................................10  
A. MEA  OBSERVERSHIP  IN THE  WTO....................................................................................10  
B. WTO  OBSERVERSHIP  IN UNEP  AND  MEAS .....................................................................11  
 
_______________ 
 
 
I. EXISTING FORMS OF COOPERATION BETWEEN UNEP/MEAS AND THE WTO 
A. ARRANGEMENT  BETWEEN  THE  WTO  AND  UNEP  SECRETARIATS    
5. On 29 November 1999, a cooperation arra ngement between the WTO and UNEP was 
concluded and its elements detaile d in the following press release: 
Elements of Cooperation between the WTO and UNEP  
Press Release – Press/154 – 29 November 1999  
A global arrangement between the Secretariat of the World Trade 
Organization and the United Nations as a whole was agreed between 
the two Secretariats in an ex change of lette rs between the 
Director-General of the WTO and the Secretary-General of the United Nations on 29 September 1995.  In accordance with the mandate given to the Secretariat of the WTO and the mandate given 
to the Secretariat of the United Nations Environment Programme 
(UNEP), recognition is given to the importance of cooperation and 
                                                     
 
4 TN/TE/R/10, 3 December 2004  TN/TE/S/2/Rev.1 
 Page 3 
 
 
collaboration between the two Secretar iats with respect to their work 
on issues of mutual interest. 
Recalling the commitment of Members to continue to improve efforts 
towards the objective of sustaina ble development, the WTO and 
UNEP Secretariats have elaborated the following elements of 
cooperation between their respective organizations.  This cooperation 
will take place in the context of our respective mandates and within our respective resources.   
Building on the global arrangement  between the UN and the WTO, 
consultations have been held betw een the Director-General of the 
WTO and the Executive-Director of UNEP to further effective 
cooperation between the two Secretaria ts in areas of mutual interest 
and to help achieve the aims of the Rio Declaration.  It is understood 
that cooperation between the WTO and UNEP Secretariats should encompass practical measures which could assist in the smooth and 
efficient functioning of both organi zations in areas where interaction 
could be of mutual benefit.  Th e goal is to improve the working 
relationship at all levels in the two Secretariats, including with respect to technical cooperation and research initiatives. 
Cooperation between the WTO and UNEP Secretariats will thus 
include the provision and excha nge of relevant non-confidential 
information, including access to trade-related environmental 
databases, and reciprocal representation at meetings of a non-confidential nature, in accordan ce with the decisions of the 
competent bodies of the respective organizations.  With respect to participation and representation, it is noted that the WTO Secretariat 
is an observer of the Governing Council of UNEP, and UNEP is an 
observer of the WTO Committee on Trade and Environment. 
Building on past practice, the Secretariats of the two organizations 
will also continue, as appr opriate, their cooperation and 
collaboration, in particular thro ugh informal staff meetings and 
information sessions, including where feasible with the participation 
of the Secretariats of Multilateral Environmental Agreements.   
Capacity building for developing countries and countries with 
economies in transition is another form of cooperative activity between the two Secretariats which could usefully be continued and 
further strengthened, thus contributing to raising awareness on the 
linkages between trade, environment and sustainable development 
and the development of policies which integrate sustainable development considerations with tr ade policies.  We agree to work 
for complementarity in technical cooperation with the aim of improving cooperation across the board and making better use of available resources. TN/TE/S/2/Rev.1 
Page 4  
 
B. RESPECTIVE
 SECRETARIATS'  TECHNICAL  COOPERATION  ACTIVITIES   
1. WTO Trade and Environment Regional Seminars 
6. Regional Seminars on Trade and Environment for developing countries and economies in 
transition have been organized by the WTO Secretar iat since 1998.  The objective of these seminars is 
to raise awareness on the linkages between trade, environment and sustainable development and to 
further enhance the dialogue between trade and environment policy makers in WTO Members and 
acceding governments.  Issues of relevance to trade and environment and the rules of the WTO, as 
well as specific concerns in each region, are address ed.  In 1999, the WTO initiated the practice of 
inviting UNEP, the United Nations Conference on Tr ade and Development (UNCTAD) and MEAs to 
participate in these seminars, so as to benefit from their expertise. 
Table 1:  List of WTO Trade and Environmen t Regional Seminars in which UNEP, UNCTAD, 
and MEAs Participated or were Represented  
Date 
 Region and Venue  MEA, UNEP and UNCTAD 
Participation 
15-16 October 2004 Sub-Saharan African countries held in 
Geneva UNEP, UNCTAD, 
Basel Convention  
10-11 May 2004 Asia and Pacific countries held in Hanoi, 
Vietnam UNCTAD 
17-19 February 2004 Arab and Middle East countries held in 
Amman, Jordan UNCTAD, 
Rotterdam Convention 
9-11 December 2003 Central, Eastern European and Central 
Asian countries held in Budapest, Hungary UNEP, UNCTAD  
25-26 November 2003 Caribbean countries held in  Kingston, 
Jamaica UNEP, UNCTAD  
19-21 May 2003 English-speaking African countries held in 
Cape Town, South Africa UNEP, UNCTAD, 
Basel Convention  
25-27 February 2003 Latin American countries held in  Santa 
Cruz, Bolivia UNCTAD, Basel Convention, 
CITES 
26-28 November 2002 Pacific island economies held in Suva, Fiji UNEP, UNCTAD 
15-17 October 2002 French-speaking Africa n countries held in 
Tunis, Tunisia  UNCTAD, CITES 
10-12 September 2002 Central European and Central Asian 
countries held in Riga, Latvia UNEP, UNCTAD, UNFCCC 
8-10 July 2002 English-speaking African countries held in 
Windhoek, Namibia UNEP, UNCTAD  
13-15 May 2002 Asian countries held in Singapore UNEP, UNCTAD 
5-7 March 2002 Latin American countries held in Bogotá, 
Colombia UNCTAD 
28-30 January 2002 Caribbean countries held in Saint Lucia UNEP, UNCTAD, CITES, 
Basel Convention, Montreal Protocol   TN/TE/S/2/Rev.1 
 Page 5 
 
 
Date 
 Region and Venue  MEA, UNEP and UNCTAD 
Participation 
27-29 March 2001 Asian countries held in Chiang Mai, 
Thailand UNEP, UNCTAD 
6-8 November 2000 Latin American countries held in Buenos 
Aires UNEP, UNCTAD 
11-13 July 2000 French-speaking least-developed and 
developing sub-Saharan African countries 
held in Libreville, Gabon UNEP, UNCTAD, 
Basel Convention 
23-25 May 2000  Middle East countries and Malta held in 
La Valetta, Malta UNCTAD, UNEP, 
Basel Convention 
11-13 April 2000 English-speaking least-developed and 
developing African countries held in Cape 
Town, South Africa UNCTAD 
8-10 February 1999 English-speaking least-developed and 
developing African countries held in Harare, Zimbabwe UNEP 
 
 
7. The WTO Secretariat has scheduled three re gional seminars for 2005, in which UNEP, 
UNCTAD, and a number of MEAs will be invited to participate.  They will take place in the 
following regions:  Asia and Pacific;  Latin Amer ica and the Caribbean;  and Central and Eastern 
Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus . 
2. UNEP-UNCTAD Capacity Building Task Force (CBTF) and UNEP Meetings 
Back-To-Back with the CTE 
8. The WTO has collaborated closely with the activities of the CBTF.5  Annex 1 contains a list 
of CBTF activities that have involved the WTO Secretariat.  In 2005, UNEP and UNCTAD may hold 
back-to-back CBTF activities with the WTO re gional seminars on Trade and Environment. 
9. To enhance developing and least-developed count ry engagement in trade and environment 
discussions at the international level, UNEP has al so organized a number of meetings back-to-back 
with the CTE over the years, and funded the particip ation of capital-based environment officials.  A 
list of these meetings is contained in Annex 2.  Other UNEP activities that have involved the WTO 
have included a meeting on "Capacity Building for Integrated Policy Design and Implementation for 
                                                      
5 The UNEP-UNCTAD CBTF was conceived as a mean s of combining the technical expertise of 
UNCTAD and UNEP in implementing capacity building activities in developing countries and economies in 
transition (see document WT/CTE/W/138, dated 4 April 2000 on the UNEP-UNCTAD Capacity Building Task 
Force on Trade, Environment and Development ).  By enhancing synergies between UNEP and UNCTAD, the 
CBTF aims to ensure the efficient de livery of capacity building activities to a wide range of beneficiaries.  
CBTF capacity building activities fall into five major cluste rs:  country projects, thematic research, training, 
policy dialogue and networking.  The aim of the CBTF is to help countries, at their request, to effectively address trade, environment and development issues at the national level and to participate in deliberations at the 
international level.  Due to the extra-budgetary nature  of the CBTF, its capacity building activities have been 
launched in phases, based on the availability of financial resources.  CBTF Phase I was completed in 2000-2003 and Phase II will run from 2004-2007.  Phase II will pay particular attention to African countries and 
least-developed countries (LDCs).   TN/TE/S/2/Rev.1 
Page 6  
 
Sustainable Development – Developing Mutually Supportive Trade and Environment Policies", that 
was held in Jeju Island, Korea, on 27-28 March 2004.
6 
II. EXISTING FORMS OF INFORMATION EXCHANGE BETWEEN UNEP/MEAS   
AND THE WTO 
A. INFORMATION  SESSIONS 
1. MEA Information Sessions in the CTE 
10. The CTE has invited a number of MEA Secretariats to participate in a total of eight 
Information Sessions from 1997 to date.  MEA S ecretariats presented background notes on their 
respective MEAs and responded to questions from Members on the trade-related aspects of their 
agreements.  Since 1997, the following MEAs ha ve participated in CTE Information Sessions:7  (see 
table 2 below) 
1. The Basel Convention on the Control of  Transboundary Movements of Hazardous 
Wastes and their Disposal (Basel Convention) 
2. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and its Biosafety Protocol 
3. The Convention for the Conservation of  Atlantic Marine Living Resources 
(CCAMLR) 
4. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and 
Flora (CITES) 
5. The International Commission for the C onservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) 
6. The Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF) 
7. The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) 
8. The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer 
(Montreal Protocol) 
9. The Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for 
Certain Hazardous Chemicals and P esticides in International Trade 
10. The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) 
11. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 
12. The United Nations Framework Conven tion on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 
13. The United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement (UN Fish Stocks) 
14. The United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) 
                                                      
6 A synthesis paper of  the results of the meetings organized by UNEP on the MEA-WTO relationship 
can be found on the UNEP web site at www.unep.ch/etu.   It is entitled Enhancing Synergies and Mutual 
Supportiveness of Multilateral Environmental Ag reements and the World Trade Organization, and was issued in  
January 2002. 
7 While not MEAs per se , the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and the Multilateral Fund for the 
Implementation of the Montreal Protocol have also participated.  TN/TE/S/2/Rev.1 
 Page 7 
 
 
  
Table 2:  MEA Information Sessions in the CTE 
 
Date MEAs Participating Documents Circulated by MEAs 
22-24 September 1997 
(WT/CTE/M/15) 
 
 • Basel Convention  
• CBD 
• CITES  
• GEF  
• Montreal Protocol  
• Multilateral Fund for 
the Implementation of 
the Montreal Protocol  
• UNCLOS  
• UNEP Chemicals on 
PIC and POPs Conventions 
• UNEP 
 • Basel Convention (W/CTE/W/55)   
• CBD (WT/CTE/W/64) 
• CITES (WT/CTE/W/63) 
• GEF (WT/CTE/W/58) 
• Montreal Protocol (WT/CTE/W/57) 
• Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the 
Montreal Protocol (WT/CTE/W/60) 
• UNCLOS (WT/CTE/W/62) 
• UNEP Chemicals on PIC and POPs Conventions 
(WT/CTE/W59)  
• UNFCCC (WT/CTE/W/61) 
23-24 July 1998 
(WT/CTE/M/18) • Basel Convention 
• CBD  
• ECE POPs Protocol 
• ICCAT 
• IFF 
• ITTO 
• UNEP Chemicals on 
PIC and POPs 
Conventions 
• UNFCCC 
• UNEP 
 • Basel Convention (WT/CTE/W/90) 
• CBD (WT/CTE/W/92)   
• ECE POPs Protocol (WT/CTE/W/88) 
• ICCAT (WT/CTE/W/87) 
• IFF (WT/CTE/W/84) 
• ITTO (WT/CTE/W/89) 
• UNEP Chemicals on PIC and POPs Conventions 
(WT/CTE/W/91) 
• UNFCCC (WT/CTE/W/74) 
• UNEP (WT/CTE/W/94) 
29-30 June 1999 
(PRESS/TE/029) • CITES  
• IFF 
• ITTO 
• Montreal Protocol 
• UNFCCC 
 • CCAMLR (WT/CTE/W/113 and Corr.1)  
• CBD (WT/CTE/W/116) 
• CITES (WT/CTE/W/119) 
• IFF (WT/CTE/W/122) 
• ITTO (WT/CTE/W/120) 
• Montreal Protocol (WT/CTE/W/115) 
• UNFCCC (WT/CTE/W/123) TN/TE/S/2/Rev.1 
Page 8  
 
Date MEAs Participating Documents Circulated by MEAs 
 
24-25 October 2000 
(WT/CTE/M/25) 8 • Basel Convention 
• CBD 
• CITES  
• IFF  
• UNEP Chemicals on 
PIC and POPs 
Conventions  
• UNFCCC 
• UNEP • Basel Convention (WT/CTE/W/163 and Corr.1) 
• CITES (WT/CTE/W/165) 
• IFF (WT/CTE/W/164) 
• ITTO (WT/CTE/W/169) 
• UNEP Chemicals on PIC and POPs Conventions 
(WT/CTE/W/166) 
• UNFCCC (WT/CTE/W/174) 
• UNEP (WT/CTE/W/179) 
 
27-28 June 2001 
(WT/CTE/M/27) • Basel Convention  
• Biosafety Protocol 
• CBD 
• CITES  
• Montreal Protocol 
• UNEP Chemicals on 
PIC and POPs 
Conventions 
• UNFCCC 
• UN Fish Stocks 
• UNEP 
 The following MEAs contributed to a background paper 
jointly prepared by the WTO and UNEP Secretariats on Compliance and Dispute Settlement Provisions in the 
WTO and in MEAs – Note by the WTO and UNEP 
Secretariats (WT/CTE/W/191): 
 
- Basel Convention  
- Biosafety Protocol 
- CBD 
- CCAMLR  
- CITES  
- ICCAT  
- Montreal Protocol 
- UNEP Chemicals on PIC and POPs Conventions 
- UNFCCC 
- UN Fish Stocks 
13 June 2002 
(WT/CTE/M/30) • UNEP 
• CITES 
• PIC 
• POPs 
• UNFCCC 
• CBD 
• Basel Convention 
• ITTO 
• UNFF 
• UN Fish Stocks  
• UNCLOS 
  
 The following MEAs contributed to a background paper 
prepared for this Information Session on Technical Assistance, Capacity Building and Enhancing Information 
Exchange (WT/CTE/W/209): 
 
- UNEP 
- CITES 
- Basel Convention  
- UNFCCC 
- CBD 
- ITTO 
- UNCLOS 
 Other documents:  
• UNEP (WT/CTE/W/213) 
                                                      
8 Opening statements were made by the Dir ector-General of the WTO, Mr. Mike Moore 
(WT/CTE/W/178) and the Executiv e Director of UNEP, Dr. Klaus Töpfer (WT/CTE/W/179) at this 
Information Session.  TN/TE/S/2/Rev.1 
 Page 9 
 
 
Date MEAs Participating Documents Circulated by MEAs 
12 November 2002 
(TN/TE/R/4) • UNFCCC 
• CBD 
• UNEP 
• PIC 
• POPs 
• ITTO 
• UNFF 
• Basel Convention • UNEP (TN/TE/INF/2 and 3) 
 
 
2. WTO Side Events in MEAs 
11. The WTO Secretariat organizes technical assistance  workshops ("side events") in parallel to 
some of the main MEA Conference of the Parties' meetings.  The objective of such events is to 
enhance understanding of WTO rules, and to create a forum for information exchange between the 
WTO Secretariat and MEAs.   
12. Since 2002, nine side events have been held at the margins of: 
• The Second Session of the UNFF (March 2002, New York); 
• the Sixth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD (April 2002, The Hague);  
• the Twelfth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the CITES (November 2002, 
Santiago); 
• the Sixth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention for the 
Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Fourteenth  Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol of 
Montreal (November 2002, Rome);  
• the Sixth Meeting of the Conference of the Pa rties to the Basel Convention (December 2002, 
Geneva);   
• the Thirty-Fourth Session of the Internati onal Tropical Timber Council (May 2003, 
Panama City); 
• the Third Session of the UNFF (June 2003, Geneva); 
• the First Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention 
(September 2004, Geneva);  and  
• the Seventh Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention (October 2004, 
Geneva).   
13. The Doha Development Agenda was discussed  at the side events, with a focus on 
paragraphs 31 and 32 of the Doha Ministerial Decl aration.  In addition, the WTO rules on areas of 
specific interest to the MEAs in question were addr essed.  For instance, at the UNFF side event, WTO 
rules relevant to certificati on and labelling were presented. 
B. BACKGROUND  NOTES  ON MEAS 
14. In 2001, the WTO prepared a Background Note on Compliance and Dispute Settlement 
Provisions in the WTO and in MEAs  together with UNEP and a number of MEA Secretariats TN/TE/S/2/Rev.1 
Page 10  
 
(WT/CTE/W/191, 6 June 2001).  The Note served as background material for an MEA Information 
Session held in the context of the CTE on the theme of compliance and dispute settlement.    
15. In 2002, in preparation for the Information Session with MEAs, the WTO, UNEP and 
selected intergovernmental organizations prepared  a note on trade-related technical assistance and 
capacity building activities, as well as on enhancin g cooperation and informat ion exchange between 
UNEP, MEAs and the WTO (WT/CTE/W/209, 5 June 2002).  
16. In addition, in 2001, 2003 and 2005, the WTO updated its Matrix on Trade Measures 
Pursuant to Selected MEAs  in cooperation with the following MEAs:
9  the Basel Convention;  the 
Biosafety Protocol;  the CBD;  CCAMLR;  CITES;  ICCAT;  the ITTO;  the Montreal Protocol;  POPs;  UNEP Chemicals on the PIC and POPs Conve ntions; the UNFCCC;  and UN Fish Stocks.  
The Matrix provides information on the trade meas ures contained in 14 environmental conventions 
and protocols. Furthermore, a number of documents on  MEAs have been circulated in the CTE by the 
WTO and by the MEA Secretariats, a full list of which is contained in Annex 3. 
III. OBSERVER STATUS 
A. MEA
 OBSERVERSHIP  IN THE  WTO 
17. A number of international intergovernmental orga nizations have been granted observer status 
in the CTE.10  Among them are UNEP and the following MEAs:  the CBD, CITES, ICCAT, and the 
UNFCCC.  At its 4 October 2001 meeting, the CTE agreed to postpone its discussion of requests by 
inter-governmental organizations for observer st atus in the CTE pending discussions on observer 
status in the General Council.11  At present, two MEAs' requests for observer status in the CTE are 
pending, those of the ITTO12 and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone 
Layer.13      
18. At its meeting of 12-13 February 2003, agreem ent was reached in the CTE Special Session to 
invite a number of organizations on an ad hoc, meeting-by-meeting basis.14  These organizations 
include UNEP and the following seven MEAs:15  the Basel Convention, the CBD, CITES, the 
Montreal Protocol, the Rotterdam Convention, the Stockholm Convention, and the UNFCCC. 16  
19. In terms of other WTO bodies, while UNEP has observer status in the Committee on Trade 
and Development (CTD), its request for such st atus in the General Council and the Council for 
Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Ri ghts (TRIPS) are pending.  The CBD's requests for 
observer status in the TRIPS Council, the Comm ittee on Agriculture, the Committee on Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary Measures and the Committee on T echnical Barriers to Trade are also pending. 
20. Observer status in the WTO entitles internationa l organizations to receive WTO documents.  
According to General Council Rules of Procedure, "O bserver organizations shall receive copies of the 
main WTO documents series and of other documents series relating to the work of the subsidiary 
                                                      
9 WT/CTE/W/160/Rev.3 and TN/TE/S/5/Rev.1, 11 February 2005. 
10 WT/CTE/INF/6/Rev.1, 31 August 2004. 
11 WT/CTE/M/28. 
12 WT/CTE/COM/9, 9 July 2001. 
13 WT/CTE/COM/10, 4 September 2002. 
14 TN/TE/R/5. 
15 TN/TE/R/9.  UNCTAD, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and 
the World Customs Organization (WCO) are also amongst the ad hoc invitees of  the CTE in Special Session. 
16 The ITTO was invited to the 1-2 May 2003 and 8 July 2003 CTESS meetings (TN/TE/R/6 and 7).  TN/TE/S/2/Rev.1 
 Page 11 
 
 
bodies which they attend as observers.  They may receive such additional documents as may be 
specified by the terms of any formal arrangeme nts for cooperation between them and the WTO".17 
B. WTO  OBSERVERSHIP  IN UNEP  AND  MEAS 
21. In addition to the WTO's observer status in the UNEP Governing Council18, the WTO attends, 
on a regular basis, the main meetings of MEAs which contain trade-related measures.  Most MEAs 
address the issue of the observership of international organizations in their statutes.  MEAs allow 
international organizations to atte nd meetings as observers by those who have expressed an interest.  
The statutes of certain MEAs, for instance, state the following:  
 
 Basel, Article 15.6:  
 
The United Nations, its specialized agencies, as well as any State not 
Party to this Convention, may be represented as observers at meetings of the Conference of th e Parties.  Any other body or 
agency, whether national or international, governmental or non-
governmental, qualified in fields relating to hazardous wastes or 
other wastes which has informed the Secretariat of its wish to be represented as an observer at a meeting of the Conference of Parties, may be admitted unless at least one third of the Parties present object.  The admission and participation of observers shall be subject to the rules of procedure adopted by the Conference of the Parties.  CBD, Article 23.5:  
The United Nations, its specialized  agencies and the International 
Atomic Energy Agency, as well as any State not Party to this 
Convention, may be represented as observers at meetings of the 
Conference of the Parties.  Any other body or agency, whether governmental or non-governmental, qualified in fields relating to conservation and sustainable use of  biological diversity, which has 
informed the Secretariat of its wish  to be represented as an observer 
at a meeting of the Conference of the Parties, may be admitted unless 
at least one third of the Parties present object.  The admission and 
participation of observers shall be subject to the rules of procedure 
adopted by the Conference of the Parties. 
                                                     
 
17 Rule 9 of Annex 3 on Observer Status for International Intergovernmental Organizations in the 
WTO  (WT/L/161, 25 July 1996). 
18 See the 4th paragraph of WTO Press Release 154 (29 November 1999), on the Elements of 
Cooperation between the WTO and UNEP , which is reproduced in this Note. 
 
 TN/TE/S/2/Rev.1 
Page 12  
 
Stockholm Convention (POPs Agreement), Article 19.8: 
 
The United Nations, its specialized  agencies and the International 
Atomic Energy Agency, as well as any State not Party to this Convention, may be represented at meetings of the Conference of the 
Parties as observers.  Any body or agency, whether national or 
international, governmental or  non-governmental, qualified in 
matters covered by the Conventio n, and which has informed the 
Secretariat of its wish to be represented at a meeting of the Conference of the Parties as an observer may be admitted unless at 
least one third of the Parties present object.  The admission and 
participation of observers shall be subject to the rules of procedure 
adopted by the Conference of the Parties. 
_______________ 
 
 
  TN/TE/S/2/Rev.1 
 Page 13 
 
 
ANNEX 1 
 
CBTF ACTIVITIES IN WHICH THE WTO SECRETARIAT  
HAS BEEN INVOLVED19 
  
• Launching workshop of the CBTF training modules on trade, environment and development, 
Havana, Cuba, 10-14 December 2001.  
 
• Brainstorming meeting for interested devel oping countries on the post-Doha discussions and 
negotiations and related capacity-building n eeds, organized by UNEP, UNCTAD and the 
Agency for International Trade Info rmation and Co-operation (AITIC), 
Geneva, 25 February 2002.  
 
• Workshop on post-Doha negotiating issues on trad e and environment in paragraph 31, held 
back-to-back with the WTO Regional Seminar on Trade and Environment for Asian countries, 
Singapore, 16 May 2002. 
 
• Workshop on post-Doha issues on trade and e nvironment in paragraphs 31 and 32, held 
back-to-back with the WTO Regional Seminar on Trade and Environment for English-speaking African countries, Windhoek, Namibia, 10-11 July 2002.  
 
• Workshop on Post-Doha Issues on Trade and Enviro nment, held back-to-back with the WTO 
Regional Seminar on Trade and Environment for Pacific countries, Suva, Fiji, 29 November 2002. 
 
• Workshop on Post-Doha Issues on Trade and Enviro nment, held back-to-back with the WTO 
Regional Seminar on Trade and Environment for African countries, Cape Town, South Africa, 
22 May 2003. 
 
• Workshop on Trade, Environment and Sustainable Development, held back-to-back with the 
WTO Regional Seminar on Trade and Environm ent for Caribbean countries, Kingston, 
Jamaica, 27-28 November 2003. 
 
    
 
    
 
                                                     
 
19 Information on the above CBTF activities is accessible on the CBTF web site at 
www.unep-unctad.org/cbtf. TN/TE/S/2/Rev.1 
Page 14  
 
  
ANNEX 2 
 
UNEP MEETINGS ORGANIZED BACK-TO-BACK WITH THE CTE
20 
 
• "Workshop with the Secretariats of UNEP Admini stered Conventions and the Secretariat of 
WTO", Geneva, 28 June 1999. 
 
• "Enhancing Synergies and Mutual Supportiveness of MEAs and the WTO", 
Geneva, 23 October 2000. 
 
• "Fisheries Subsidies Workshop", Geneva, 12 February 2001. 
 
• "Compliance, Enforcement and Dispute Settlement in MEAs and the WTO", 
Geneva, 26 June 2001. 
 
• "Workshop on the Impacts of Trade-Related Policies on Fisheries and Measures for 
Sustainable Fisheries Management", Geneva, 15 March 2002. 
 
• "Workshop on Capacity Building on Environment, Trade and Development", 
Geneva, 19-20 March 2002. 
 
• "UNEP/MEA Meeting on Enhancing MEA and WTO Information Exchange", 
Geneva, 11 November 2002.  
 
• "Workshop on Fisheries Subsidies and Sustai nable Fisheries Management", Geneva, 
26-27 April 2004 (back-to-back with a meeting of another WTO body). 
 
  
                                                     
 
20 Chairman's summaries of the meetings are acce ssible on the UNEP web site at www.unep.ch/etu .    TN/TE/S/2/Rev.1 
 Page 15 
 
 
ANNEX 3 
 
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS ON MEAS CIRCULATED IN THE CTE 
 
1. The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous 
Wastes and their Disposal 
Symbol Date Issued Topic 
WT/CTE/W/163 and 
Corr.1 
 12 October 2000 The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary 
Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal – Communication from the Secretariat of the Basel Convention  
WT/CTE/W/130 and 
Corr.1 9 February 2000 Recent Developments in  MEAs (Montreal Protocol and the 
Basel Convention) – Note by the Secretariat  
WT/CTE/W/90 20 July 1998 The Base l Convention: Recent Developments – 
Communication from the Secretariat of the Basel Convention  
WT/CTE/W/86 8 July 1998 Recent Developm ents in the Base l Convention, the 
PIC Convention, and the Convention on Biological Diversity 
– Note by the Secretariat  
WT/CTE/W/55 25 August 1997 Recent Trade-Rela ted Developments in the Basel Convention 
– Communication from the Secretariat of the 
Basel Convention  
WT/CTE/W/12 10 October 1995 Recent Developments  in the Montreal Protocol and the Basel 
Convention – Note by the Secretariat  
 
2. The Biosafety Protocol 
Symbol Date Issued Topic 
WT/CTE/W/235 8 June 2004 Decisions of the seventh meeting of the Conference of the 
Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the 
first meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on 
Biosafety of relevance to the WTO - Note by the Executive 
Secretary of the CBD  
WT/CTE/W/190 1 May 2001 Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety – Note by the Secretariat  
WT/CTE/W/136 30 March 2000 Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on 
Biological Diversity:  Text of the Protocol – Communication 
from the Secretariat of the CBD  
WT/CTE/W/124 9 August 1999 Convention on Biological Diversity:  Draft Protocol on 
Biosafety – Note by the Secretariat  
WT/CTE/W/117 28 June 1999 Convention on Biological Diversity – Draft Protocol on 
Biosafety: – Recent Developments – Note by the Secretariat  
 TN/TE/S/2/Rev.1 
Page 16  
 
3. The Convention on Biological Diversity 
Symbol Date Issued Topic 
TN/TE/INF/9/Rev.1 13 October 2004 Statement by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological 
Diversity (CBD) at the Commi ttee on Trade and Environment 
Special Session of 12-13 October 2004 - Paragraph 31 (i) - 
Revision 
TN/TE/INF/9 12 October 2004 Statement by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological 
Diversity (CBD) at the Commi ttee on Trade and Environment 
Special Session of 12-13 October 2004 - Paragraph 31 (i) 
WT/CTE/W/235 8 June 2004 Decisions of the seventh meeting of the Conference of the 
Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the first 
meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety 
of relevance to the WTO - Note by the Executive Secretary of 
the CBD  
WT/CTE/W/210- 
IP/C/W/347/Add.1 10 June 2002 Review of the Provisions of Article 27.3(b), Relationship 
Between the TRIPS Agreement and the Convention on 
Biological Diversity and Protection of Traditional Knowledge 
and Folklore – Information from the Secretariat of the CBD  
WT/CTE/W/158 28 July 2000 Recent Developm ents in the Conven tion on Biological 
Diversity (CBD) – Note by the Secretariat  
WT/CTE/W/149 28 June 2000 Response of the Ex ecutive Secretary of the CBD to the Chair 
of the CTE – Communication from the Secretariat of the CBD  
WT/CTE/W/116 28 June 1999 Response of the Executive Secretary of the Convention on 
Biological Diversity to the Request of the Chair of the CTE –  
Communication from the Secretariat of the CBD 
WT/CTE/W/92 22 July 1998 The Convention on Biological Diversity – Communication 
from the Secretariat of the CBD  
WT/CTE/W/86 8 July 1998 Recent Developmen ts in the Basel Convention, the PIC 
Convention, and the Convention on Biological Diversity – 
Note by the Secretariat  
WT/CTE/W/64 29 September 1997 The Convention on Biological Diversity and its Relation to 
Trade – Communication from the E xecutive Secretary of the 
CBD  
WT/CTE/W/44 20 March 1997 Recent Developm ents in the Conven tion on Biological 
Diversity and the Montreal Protocol – Note by the Secretariat  
WT/CTE/W/18 12 January 1996 Recent Developments in the Convention on Biological 
Diversity – Note by the Secretariat  
 
4. The Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Marine Living Resources 
Symbol Date Issued Topic 
WT/CTE/W/148 30 June 2000 The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine 
Living Resources – Communication from the Secretariat of 
the CCAMLR  
WT/CTE/W/113  
and Corr.1 28 May 1999 The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine 
Living Resources – Communication from the Secretariat of 
the CCAMLR   TN/TE/S/2/Rev.1 
 Page 17 
 
 
 
5. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora 
(CITES) 
 
Symbol Date Issued Topic 
WT/CTE/GEN/7 11 February 2003 Decision on Economic Incentives and Trade Policy –
Communication from the Secretariat of the CITES  
WT/CTE/GEN/6 20 November 2002 Eco nomic Incentives and Trade Policy – Communication 
from the Secretariat of the CITES  
WT/CTE/GEN/5 20 November 2002 Regular Session of the CTE of 8 October 2002 – Statement 
from the Secretariat of the CITES  
WT/CTE/W/165 13 October 2000 The Relationship between the Convention on International 
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and the WTO – Communication from the Secretariat of the 
CITES  
WT/CTE/W/151 29 June 2000 Recent Devel opments in MEAs (CITES and POPs 
Convention) – Note by the Secretariat  
WT/CTE/W/119 25 June 1999 Background note on the Convention on International Trade in 
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and WTO  – 
Communication from the Secretariat of the CITES  
WT/CTE/W/71 21 November 1997 Recent Devel opments in the Conven tion on International 
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora – Note 
by the Secretariat  
WT/CTE/W/63 17 September 1997 The Convention on International Trade in Endangered 
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora – Communication from the 
Secretariat of the CITES  
 
6. The International Commission for th e Conservation of Atlantic Tunas  
Symbol Date Issued Topic 
WT/CTE/W/152 29 June 2000 Conservation Measures Taken by the International 
Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas – 
Communication from the Secretariat of the ICCAT  
WT/CTE/W/87 16 July 1998 Stock Management Measures taken by the International 
Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas in relation to trade measures – Communication from the Secretariat of 
the ICCAT  
 
7. The Intergovernmental Forum on Forests 
Symbol Date Issued Topic 
WT/CTE/W/164 12 October 2000 Intergovernmental Policy Deliberations on Forests: Trade and 
Environment – Communication from the Secretariat of the 
IFF  
WT/CTE/W/140 20 June 2000 Recen t Developments in the Intern ational Forum on Forests – 
Full Text of the Programme Element of the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests – Note by the Secretariat  TN/TE/S/2/Rev.1 
Page 18  
 
Symbol Date Issued Topic 
WT/CTE/W/122 29 June 1999 The Intergovernmental Policy Dialogue on Forests:  the 
Intergovernmental  Forum on Forests of The United Nations 
Commission on Sustainable Development – Communication 
from the Secretariat of the IFF  
WT/CTE/W/84 1 July 1998 Trade and Environment in Relation to Forest Products and 
Services:  an Overview of the Intergovernmental Panel on 
Forests and the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests 
deliberations – Communication from the Secretariat of the 
IFF 
WT/CTE/W/48 14 May 1997 Results of the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Panel on Forests – 
Note by the Secretariat  
8. The International Tropical Timber Organization 
Symbol Date Issued Topic 
WT/CTE/W/169 17 October 2000 The International Tropical Timber Agreement – 
Communication from the Secretariat of the ITTO  
WT/CTE/W/120 29 June 1999 Background Note on the International Tropical Timber 
Organization – Communication from the Secretariat of the 
ITTO  
WT/CTE/W/89 20 July 1998 Recent Trade-Related Developm ents in the International 
Tropical Timber Agreement – Communication from the 
Secretariat of the ITTO  
  TN/TE/S/2/Rev.1 
 Page 19 
 
 
9. The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer 
 
Symbol Date Issued Topic 
WT/CTE/W/142 19 June 2000 Trade-Related Developments in the Montreal Protocol on 
Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer – Communication 
from the Secretariat of the Vienna Convention and the 
Montreal Protocol, UNEP  
WT/CTE/W/130 and 
Corr.1 9 February 2000 Recen t Developments in MEAs (M ontreal Protocol and the 
Basel Convention) – Note by the Secretariat  
WT/CTE/W/115 25 June 1999 Communication from the Secretariat of the Vienna Convention 
and the Montreal Protocol, UNEP 
WT/CTE/W/104 28 Janua ry 1999 Recent Developments in the Montreal Protocol – Note by the 
Secretariat  
WT/CTE/W/68 14 November 1997 The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone 
Layer:  Recent Developments – Note by the Secretariat  
WT/CTE/W/60 8 September 1997 Nature and Extent of Projects Supported by the Multilateral 
Fund – Communication from the Secretariat of the 
Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal 
Protocol  
WT/CTE/W/57 28 August 1997 The Montreal Protocol and Trade Measures – Communication 
from the Secretariat of the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol   
WT/CTE/W/44 20 March 1997 Recent Developm ents in the Conven tion on Biological 
Diversity and the Montreal Protocol – Note by the Secretariat  
WT/CTE/W/19 23 January 1996 Recen t Developments at the Sevent h Meeting of the Parties to 
the Montreal Protocol – Note by the Secretariat  
WT/CTE/W/12 10 October 1995 Recent Developments  in the Montreal Protocol and the Basel 
Convention – Note by the Secretariat  
 
10. The Rotterdam Convention on the Prio r Informed Consent Procedure for Certain 
Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade and the Stockholm 
Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants 
Symbol Date Issued Topic 
WT/CTE/W/193 19 June 2001 R ecent Developments in MEAs – Stockholm Convention on 
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) – Note by the Secretariat  
WT/CTE/W/166 16 October 2000 Draft Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Convention and 
the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent 
(PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and 
Pesticides in International Trade – Communication from 
UNEP Chemicals  
WT/CTE/W/151 29 June 2000 Recent Devel opments in MEAs (CITES and POPs 
Convention) – Note by the Secretariat  
WT/CTE/W/128 29 November 1999 Recent Developm ents in MEAs (PIC and POPs Conventions) 
– Note by the Secretariat  
WT/CTE/W/112 10 May 1999 Draft International Legally Binding Instrument for 
Implementing International Action on Certain Persistent TN/TE/S/2/Rev.1 
Page 20  
 
Symbol Date Issued Topic 
Organic Pollutants (POPs) – Recent Developments – Note by 
the Secretariat  
WT/CTE/W/91 20 July 1998 Background Paper on the Draft PIC Convention and the 
Ongoing Negotiations for a Global POPs Treaty – Communication from the Secretariat of UNEP Chemicals on 
PIC and POPs Conventions  
WT/CTE/W/86 8 July 1998 Recent Developmen ts in the Basel Convention, the PIC 
Convention, and the Convention on Biological Diversity – Note by the Secretariat  
WT/CTE/W/59 3 September 1997 The Proposed Prior Informed Consent (PIC) and Persistent 
Organic Pollutants (POPs) Conventions – Communication 
from UNEP Chemicals Secretariat   
 
11. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 
Symbol Date Issued Topic 
WT/CTE/W/62 16 September 1997 The 1994 Agreement Relating to the Implementation of Part 
XI of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea – 
Communication from the UN Division for Ocean Affairs and 
the Law of the Sea  
 
12. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 
Symbol Date Issued Topic 
WT/CTE/W/201 2 October 2001 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 
(UNFCCC) – Recent developments – Note by the Secretariat  
WT/CTE/W/174 23 October 2000 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – 
Communication from the Secretariat of the UNFCCC  
WT/CTE/W/153 29 June 2000 Developments in the United Nations Framework Convention 
on Climate Change – Communication from the Secretariat of 
the UNFCCC  
WT/CTE/W/123 8 July 1999 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 
(UNFCCC)  – Communication from the Secretariat of the 
UNFCCC  
WT/CTE/W/74 3 March 1998 Recent Developm ents in the United Nations Framework 
Convention on Climate Change:  The Kyoto Protocol – Note 
by the Secretariat  
WT/CTE/W/61 16 September 1997 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate 
Change – Communication from the Secretariat of the 
UNFCCC  
  TN/TE/S/2/Rev.1 
 Page 21 
 
 
13. Others 
Symbol Date issued Topic 
WT/CTE/W/88 20 July 1998 The Protocol to the 1979 UN/ECE Convention on 
Long-Range Transboundary Air on Pollution Persistent Organic Pollutants – Communication from the 
Secretariat of the UN/ECE Convention on Long-Range 
Transboundary Air Pollution  
WT/CTE/W/58 2 September 1997 Nature and Extent of GEF Projects in Assisting in the 
Implementation of MEAs – Communication from the 
Secretariat of the GEF  
WT/CTE/W/15 and Corr.1 1 December 1995 Recent De velopments in the FAO Code of Conduct for 
Responsible Fisheries – Note by the Secretariat  
 
__________