§ Mr. ChaytorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he is making to the European Commission in respect of the arrangements enabling European Commission trade negotiators to take full account of environmental considerations and the requirements of multilateral environmental agreements. [105581]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 20 January 2000]: The United Kingdom played a leading role in the development of the European Union's position on how the relationship between trade and the environment should be addressed in the proposed new Round of multilateral trade negotiations. This position was set out in the conclusions of the General Affairs Council prior to the third World Trade Organisation Ministerial in Seattle in December 1999. The conclusions of the General Affairs Council are consistent with the Government's priorities for action in this area. They include commitments to clarifying the legal relationship between the rules of the WTO and trade measures taken pursuant to Multilateral Environmental Agreements, and to taking environmental considerations into account throughout the negotiations. I attended the Seattle Ministerial, where I was able to discuss trade and environment issues directly with representatives of the European Commission.
The Government also strongly support the Sustainability Impact Assessment which the European Commission is undertaking to inform the European Union's negotiating position in future trade liberalisation negotiations. Officials from my Department and the Department for Trade and Industry will continue to participate in meetings with the European Commission and other member states of the European Union to discuss trade and environment issues.