Environment

At the informal CTE-SS on 5-6 May, Norway presented a proposal for an outcome from the negotiations on the relationship between existing WTO rules and specific trade obligations set out in multilateral environmental agreements. Ms. Kaja B. Edrén from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Oslo presented the proposal, contained in the attached document Job(08)/33, with the following statement.

At the informal CTE-SS on 27 February, Norway explained in more detail its long-held view that staying within the limitations of the mandate would give the best outcome on paragraph 31(i) of the Doha negotiations. A written submission may follow at a later stage.

Norway has made comments to other submissions under the mandate in paragraph 31(iii), amongst others on a project/integrated approach, on including biofuels and organic agriculture, and on goods and services related to climate change.

Negotiations on the relationship between existing WTO rules and specific trade obligations (STOs) in multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) are mandated in paragraph 31(i) of the Doha Declaration.

Negotiations on the liberalisation of environmental goods and services are mandated in paragraph 31(iii) of the Doha Declaration. Norway has participated actively in formal and informal discussions in the Special Session of the Committee on Trade and Environment.