§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how existing multilateral environmental agreements will be incorporated into the new trade round. [48621]
§ Ms HewittUnder paragraph 31 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration, WTO Members agree to negotiations on the relationship between existing WTO rules and specific trade obligations set out in multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) and to procedures for regular information exchange between MEA Secretariats and the relevant WTO Committees. These negotiations will take place in the WTO Committee on Trade and Environment meeting in special session.
370WThe EU tabled a paper exploring this important issue at the first meeting of the Committee on Trade and Environment since Doha several weeks ago. This will shortly be available on the WTO website at www.wto.org
§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what meetings she has had with(a)DEFRA and (b)the Sustainable Development Commission to discuss the impact of multilateral environmental agreements on current trade negotiations. [48620]
§ Ms HewittI liaised closely with the Minister of State for Environment on this issue during the fourth Ministerial meeting in Doha last November and my Department works very closely with all interested Departments, particularly DEFRA on the relationship between multilateral environmental agreements and World Trade Organisation Rules. I have not discussed this particular issue with the Sustainable Development Commission.