United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

National training workshop in Bangladesh: From 4-5 October 2004, FIELD lawyers participated in a national training workshop in Dhaka, Bangladesh on market access, environmental requirements and the horticulture sector in Bangladesh. Jointly organised by UNCTAD, FIELD and Hortex Foundation, the workshop was attended by government officials, academics, associations of farmers and exporters, NGOs and various research and standard-setting institutions involved with the horticulture sector in Bangladesh. FIELD conducted a practical training exercise through which participants identified challenges in the export of horticultural products, as well as actions required to meet those challenges at the national, regional and international levels.

FIELD and UNCTAD hosted a stakeholder discussion on REACH and developing countries:FIELD and UNCTAD hosted a stakeholder discussion on REACH and developing countries, which took take place in the Eurovillage Hotel, Brussels, Belgium, on 28-29 October 2004. The meeting brought together European Union and developing country policy-makers, private sector representatives and other relevant stakeholders to discuss issues such as participation, impact assessments and assistance to developing countries in the design and implementation of environmental requirements, as illustrated by the proposed EU regulation of chemicals (REACH). Most developing country participants where from beneficiary countries of the Strengthening Capacity Project.

The discussion took place in the Eurovillage Hotel, Brussels, Belgium, on 28-29 October 2004. The meeting brought together European Union and developing country policy-makers, private sector representatives and other relevant stakeholders to discuss issues such as participation, impact assessments and assistance to developing countries in the design and implementation of environmental requirements, as illustrated by the proposed EU regulation of chemicals (REACH). Most developing country participants where from beneficiary countries of the Strengthening Capacity Project

Click here for the workshop report and agenda.

Click here for the Background Paper

Workshop on environmental requirements, market access/entry and export competiveness in the horticulture sector: FIELD lawyers participated in the sub-regional workshop held in Bangkok, Thailand (29 September-1 October 2004) which was jointly organised by UNCTAD and the International Institute for Trade and Development (ITD). This workshop is part of the FIELD/UNCTAD project on Strengthening Capacity for Improved Policy Making and Negotiation on Key Trade and Environment Issues in Asia and Central America. The workshop brought together participants from six countries (Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam) to discuss country-case studies, prepared to facilitate the exchange of national experiences on pro-active policies in the horticulture sector. One aspect of FIELD's involvement was to present a paper on WTO disciplines relevant to environmental requirements. The paper outlined the role of the WTO rules in facilitating market access for developing country horticultural products.

Pre-Cancún Trade and the Environment Workshop: From 30 July to 1 August 2003 FIELD, along with UNCTAD and the International Institute on Trade and Development (ITD), co-organised a workshop in Bangkok, as part of a project on Building Capacity for Improved Policy Making and Negotiation on Key Trade and Environment Issues. In preparation for the WTO Ministerial Conference to be held in Cancún in September, the workshop was a brainstorming session on paragraphs 31 and 32 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration, and participants looked at recent relevant developments and negotiations.

Presentations and further information on the above workshops are available from the UNCTAD website click here.

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