In order to accelerate economic growth, poverty eradication and environmental protection,
particularly in developing countries, there is a need to establish macroeconomic conditions in both
developed and developing countries that favour the development of instruments and structures
enabling all countries, in particular developing countries, to benefit from globalization. International
cooperation and support for capacity-building in trade, environment and development should be
strengthened through renewed system-wide efforts, and with greater responsiveness to sustainable
development objectives, by the United Nations, the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Bretton
Woods institutions, as well as by national Governments. There should be a balanced and
integrated approach to trade and sustainable development, based on a combination of trade
liberalization, economic development and environmental protection. Trade obstacles should be
removed with a view to contributing to achieving more efficient use of the earth's natural resources
in both economic and environmental terms. Trade liberalization should be accompanied by
environmental and resource management policies in order to realize its full potential contribution to
improved environmental protection and the promotion of sustainable development through the more
efficient allocation and use of resources. The multilateral trading system should have the capacity
to further integrate environmental considerations and enhance its contribution to sustainable
development, without undermining its open, equitable and non- discriminatory character. The
special and differential treatment for developing countries, especially the least developed countries,
and the other commitments of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations should be fully
implemented in order to enable those countries to benefit from the international trading system,
while conserving the environment. There is a need for continuing the elimination of discriminatory
and protectionist practices in international trade relations, which will have the effect of improving
access for the
exports of developing countries. This will also facilitate the full integration of
economies in transition
into the world economy. In order to make trade, environment and development mutually supportive,
measures need to be taken to ensure transparency in the use of trade measures related to the
environment, and should address the root causes of environmental degradation so as not to result
in disguised barriers to trade. Account should be taken of the fact that environmental standards
valid for developed countries may have unwarranted social and economic costs in other countries,
in particular developing countries. International cooperation is needed and unilateralism should be
avoided. Thfe following actions are required:
(a) Timely and full
implementation of the results of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade
Negotiations11 and full use of the Comprehensive and Integrated WTO Plan of Action for the
Least Developed Countries;12
(b) Promotion of
an open, non- discriminatory, rule-based, equitable, secure, transparent
and predictable multilateral trading system. In this context, effective measures are called for
to achieve the complete integration of developing countries and countries with economies in
transition into the world economy and the new international trading system. In this
connection, there is a need to promote the universality of WTO and to facilitate the
admission to membership in that organization in a mutually beneficial way, of developing
countries and countries with economies in transition applying for membership. Actions
should be taken to maximize the opportunities and to minimize the difficulties of developing
countries, including the net food-importing ones, especially the least developed countries,
and of countries with economies in transition in adjusting to the changes introduced by the
Uruguay Round. Decisions on further liberalization of trade should take into account effects
on sustainable development and should be consistent with an open, rule-based, non-
discriminatory, equitable, secure and transparent multilateral trading system.
The relationship
between multilateral environmental agreements and the WTO rules should
be clarified;
(c) Implementation
of environmental measures should not result in disguised barriers to
trade;
(d) Within the framework
of Agenda 21, trade rules and environmental principles shoiuld
interact harmoniously;
(e) Further analysis
of the environmental effects of the international transport of goods is
warranted;
(f) Cooperation
and coordination between the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO),
WTO, UNEP and other relevant institutions should be strengthened on various issues,
including (i) the role of positive measures in multilateral environmental agreements as part of
a package of measures including, in certain cases, trade measures; (ii) the special
conditions and needs of small and medium- sized enterprises in the trade and environment
interface; (iii) trade and environment issues at the regional and subregional levels, including
in the context of regional economic and trade as well as environmental agreements;
(g) Cooperation
and coordination between UNCTAD and other relevant bodies within their
existing respective mandates should be enhanced, inter alia, on environment and
sustainable development issues. Without prejudice to the clear understanding in WTO that
future negotiations, if any, regarding a multilateral agreement on investment will take place
only after an explicit consensus decision, future agreements on investments should take
into account the objectives of sustainable development and, when developing countries are
parties to these agreements, special attention should be given to their needs for investment;
(h) National Governments
should make every effort to ensure policy coordination on trade,
environment and development at the national level in support of sustainable development;
(i) There is a need
for the WTO, UNEP and UNCTAD to consider ways to make trade and
environment mutually supportive, including through due respect to the objectives and
principles of the multilateral trading system and to the provisions of multilateral
environmental agreements. Such considerations should be consistent with an open, rule-
based, non- discriminatory, equitable, secure and transparent multilateral trading system.
