7:40 AM Dec 10, 1993

ENVIRONMENT, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOR FUTURE WORK

Geneva 10 Dec (TWN) -- Trade Negotiators at the Uruguay Round as part of their package of decisions to conclude the negotiations are expected to agree upon a decision on Trade, Environment and how to promote Sustainable Development which, in essence would agree to undertake some work in 1994 to develop a possible work programme.

The TNC would decide to draw up a programme of work in this area and present it to the Ministerial conference for the conclusion of the Round expected no later than mid-April 1994.

In the decision, the TNC would take note of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, notably Agenda 21, and its follow-up in GATT, as reflected in the statement of the Chairman of the Council of Representatives to the CONTRACTING PARTIES at their 48th Session in December 1992, as well as the work of the GATT Group on Environmental Measures and International Trade, and of the Committee on Trade and Development; the work programme envisaged in the Decision concerning Article XIV:B of the Services Agreement; and the relevant provisions of the TRIPs Agreement;

The TNC in its preamble would affirm the consideration that there should not be, nor need be, any policy contradiction between upholding and safeguarding an open, non-discriminatory and equitable Multilateral Trading System on the one hand, and acting for the protection of the environment, and the promotion of sustainable development on the other; and the desire to coordinate the policies in the field of Trade and Environment, and this without exceeding the competence of the multilateral trading system, which is limited to trade policies and those trade-related aspects of environment policies which may result in significant trade effects for its members;

In this view the TNC will decide to draw up a programme of work:

* to identify the relationship between trade measures and environmental measures, in order to promote sustainable development;

* to make appropriate recommendations on whether any modifications of the provisions of the Multilateral Trading System are required, compatible with the open, equitable and non-discriminatory nature of the system, as regards, in particular:

- the need for rules to enhance positive interaction between trade and environmental measures, for the promotion of sustainable development, with special consideration to the needs of developing countries, in particular those of the least developed among them; and

- the avoidance of protectionist trade measures, and unilateral actions to deal with environmental challenges outside the jurisdiction of the importing country; and

- surveillance of trade measures used for environmental purposes, of trade-related aspects of environmental measures which have significant trade effects, and of effective implementation of the multilateral disciplines governing those measures;

This agreed programme of work, and recommendations for its execution, are to be presented for adoption as soon as possible and no later than at the Ministerial Conference of April 1994.