The Post-Hong-Kong Ministerial Process

At the Ministerial meeting in Hong Kong, Ministers instructed officials to intensify the negotiations and to complete the work expeditiously under paragraph 31(iii) . This provided the context for the CTESS meeting on 21-22 February, 2006 at which Members explored the range of possible parameters which might be used to inform the negotiations. This in turn provided the basis for three further technical discussions on environmental goods. These took place on 4 5 April, 10 12 May and 12 13 June. Each meeting considered specific categories of environmental goods.

The first technical discussion on environmental goods provided an opportunity to exchange technical information about the categories of Air Pollution Control and Renewable/Clean Energy. The second focused on the Wastewater Management and Solid and Hazardous Waste Management categories. The third technical exchange considered the remaining categories proposed by Members. This encompassed the range of products that were contained in the categories of Environmental Monitoring, Analysis and Assessment Equipment; Remediation and Clean-Up of Soil and Water; Cleaner Technology and Products;  Environmentally Preferable Products Based on End-Use or Disposal Characteristics; Products with High Environmental Performance or Low Environmental Impacts; Others (Noise and Vibration Abatement; Resource Management; Heat and Energy Management; Natural Risk Management; Potable Water Treatment; Recycling Systems; and Soil Conservation). 

New Zealand was an active participant at all three technical sessions. At the first technical session at which Renewable/Clean Energy and Air Pollution Control products were considered, New Zealand registered its view that a focus on single-end use products would fail to meet the mandate of the negotiations to contribute to the environment and development objectives Ministers had established at Doha, Qatar in 2001. 

New Zealand co sponsored a paper with a number of other Members that was designed to facilitate the exchanges at the second technical session on 10 12 May.  This meeting was focused on products proposed for the categories of Waste Water Management and Solid and Hazardous Waste Management. The paper responded to the Chair’s request to provide "detailed explanations on the environmental and developmental aspects of products that have been identified under the two new categories"  of waste water management and solid and hazardous waste products. It elaborated in detail on both of these aspects and noted how improved access for environmental goods would help Members achieve improved environment and development outcomes. It also provided a definition of the two categories  under discussion and outlined the range of approaches taken on dual and multi use items.

New Zealand found the exchanges at the second technical session helpful in terms of informing its own thinking on some of the items it had proposed for the negotiations. In particular, New Zealand took careful note of the range of perspectives expressed regarding the waste and scrap utilization category it had identified. Additionally, comments regarding some of the chemicals which New Zealand had identified as having environmental benefits were also taken into account in the context of New Zealand’s ongoing work to review its list of environmental goods.

The third technical exchange session considered the remaining categories proposed by Members. These were Environmental Monitoring, Analysis and Assessment Equipment; Remediation and Clean-Up of Soil and Water; Cleaner Technology and Products;  Environmentally Preferable Products Based on End-Use or Disposal Characteristics; Products with High Environmental Performance or Low Environmental Impacts; Others (Noise and Vibration Abatement; Resource Management; Heat and Energy Management; Natural Risk Management; Potable Water Treatment; Recycling Systems; and Soil Conservation).

New Zealand presented a submission on the category of Remediation and Clean-Up of Soil and Water to the third technical exchange session.  This responded to the Chair of the CTESS’ request that Members who had proposed products for the negotiation “provide as far as possible a description of the environmental, trade and developmental benefits of the products/systems in question.”   The New Zealand submission elaborated on these aspects. It noted how improved market access for products that assist in the remediation and clean-up of soil and water will contribute to achieving improved environment, trade and development outcomes. The paper also responded to the Chair’s request that contributions to the technical discussion “indicate products/systems of single environmental-end use”.  The annex to the paper outlined all of the items proposed to date by the Membership in the category of Remediation and Clean-Up of Soil and Water.

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