UNCTAD/FIELD project on Improved T&E Policy Making and Negotiation

LATIN AMERICA

– Costa Rica – Cuba – El Salvador – Guatemala

– Honduras – Nicaragua– Panama – Republica

Dominicana

Preparations (planning phase)

Completed• Seminar in Costa Rica• Selection core countries • Pre-selection of other countries• Lead government agencies in core

countries • National consultations in Costa Rica• National consultations in Cuba• Proposals for priority issues• Draft concept papers

Preparations (planning phase)

Further activities until November • Consultations in Geneva workshop• Consultations in the region• Detailed work plan

This presentation provides some background on Costa Rica seminar, relevant to the project

UNCTAD/Ministry of Foreign Trade workshop on Post-Doha

T&E issues (San José, 1-3 July 2002)

• Funded through a contribution to UNCTAD from Finland

• Opportunity for brainstorming on:

– Priorities for countries in the region

– Issues of common interest

– Technical assistance/capacity building programme (UNCTAD/FIELD)

• Kick-off project preparations

Country participants

Country Min of

Trade

Min ofEnv

GVA Other

Costa Rica 6 2 1 2

Cuba - 1 1 -

Dominican Republic

1 1 - -

El Salvador 1 1 - -

Guatemala 1 1 1 -

Honduras 1 1 - -

Nicaragua - 1 - -

Panama 1 - 1 -

Other participants/resource persons

• UNCTAD secretariat• WTO secretariat• Central American Council for

Sustainable Development (CCAD)• International Centre for Trade and

Sustainable Development (ICTSD)• Consultants

Tour de table, assessment of all participants

• All 8 countries want to participate

• CCAD and others: engage all Central American countries

• Need for appropriate follow-up and the need to promote coordination and research.

• Different levels of preparedness. Training programmes to sensitise policy makers

Follow up activities, recommended by participants

• Capacity building, national workshops, brainstorming

• Exchange of information and coordination between Geneva and capitals

• Coordination on national positions in WTO and elsewhere

• Analysis (market access, TBT and SPS Agreements, MEAs)

10

8

5

4

Post-Doha Work Programme

Paragraph 31• Immediate

negotiations

• Deadline: January 2005

Paragraph 32• Possible negotiations

in the future• Report to 5th

Ministerial Conf. (Sep 2003)

• Deadline to finalize report: around June 2003

• Urgency

Preliminary priorities

IssueMarket access 13

Eco-labelling, TBT 10

Environmentally preferable products

5

TRIPS 4

Certifation, organic products 4

Environmental goods and services 3

PPMs 2

Traditional knowledge 2

Preliminary priorities

IssueTraditional knowledge 2

Preparation of national positions on paragraphs 31 and 32 of the Doha MD

1

National/regional coordination 2

Public/private partnerships 1

National seminars 2

Market access

• Environmental requirements and market access

• Elimination or reduction of trade restrictions and distortions that could bring trade, environmental and developmental benefits

Countries relatively active in CTE

Examples of proposals

• Cuba, the Dominican Republic (DR), El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua– Subsidies

• Cuba, DR, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Pakistan – Domestic support programmes

• Cuba, DR, Honduras and Nicaragua– Compulsory licensing– TRIPS and the CBD