The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, Environment Policy Committee (OECSEPC) wants a greater push of the environmental agenda in Trade Negotiations. This was among the conclusions at the 9th OECSEPC meeting which was recent held in Anguilla.

At the meeting, the call was made in light of talks that are taking place on the world stage with respect to Trade and the Environment.

Ministers believe this is extremely critical as OECS countries need to monitor discussions at the level of the WTO Committee on Trade and Environment, with a view to ensuring that relevant environmental issues are included in OECS Trade Negotiations. Since the launch of these negotiations on the environment by the WTO in 2001, there has been increased recognition of the important linkages between international trade, the economy, society and the environment.

Ongoing negotiations at the hemispheric and regional levels have also raised significant challenges and opportunities for realizing the potential of trade as a means of implementing sustainable development in the OECS sub-region. The OECS Ministers of the Environment, who make up the Environment Policy Committee (EPC) shared the view that the OECS Trade Negotiating Group (TNG) must deeply ponder the various aspects of multi-trading system, particularly those that include aspects of the environment. This, they believed is crucial given the mandate of the WTO Committee on Trade and the Environment “to study the relationship between trade and the environment and make recommendations about any changes that might be needed in trade agreements”.

The Ministers mandated that an environment brief be presented to the OECS Trade Negotiating Group (TNG) to include in their position paper for the next round of trade talks to be held in Hong Kong, December 13th to 18th 2005. The brief includes the sub-region’s concerns and considerations about certain aspects of obligations under the Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEA), including the relationship between the multilateral trade and environment regimes. It also speaks to the effects of the liberalization of trade in environmental services.

The signing of a Memorandum of Coorperation (MOC) between the OECS and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was another feature at the 9th OECS EPC Meeting. The new MOC between the OECS and UNEP is to help coordinate and harmonise activities in pursuit of complementary interests and goals of the OECS Member States and parties to the Cartagena Convention, in order to improve implementation of and minimize duplication of programmes, projects and activities relevant to both organizations at the national, sub-regional and regional levels. The Cartagena Convention is to facilitate the protection and development of the marine environment of the wider Caribbean. 

Contacts:

Keith Nichols Head of OECS/ESDU

Kendol Morgan Senior Communications Officer OECS Secretariat This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Raymond O’Keiffe Comm.Officer OECS Secretariat email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it