§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Prime Minister who will represent the British Government at the High Level Symposium on Trade and Environment in Geneva on 15 and 16 March 1999; what policy position the Government will be promoting; and if he will make a statement. [74869]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 5 March 1999]: We will be represented at the World Trade Organisation Symposium on Trade and Environment by senior officials from the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, the Department for International Development, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. We expect the event to be an opportunity to work with other WTO members and representatives of non-governmental bodies, including business, to identify constructive ways ahead on the trade and environment interface.
15WThe Symposium is not intended to be a forum for negotiation or decision-making, but we hope that the event will progress the trade and environment debate by helping to:
Clarify the relationship between trade rules and international Environmental law;Identify mutually-beneficial solutions for achieving trade, environment and development objectives;Encourage further dialogue between all interested communities, in particular highlighting the importance of transparency at both the national and international level.The United Kingdom will engage constructively in the debate at the Symposium.