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Media Advisory
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Media Advisory
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EU/WTO: environmental laws lined up for removal by new trade talks GENEVA (Switzerland) / BRUSSELS (Belgium) April 18, 2005 - Governments including Japan, Korea, Mexico and the United States [1] are planning to use new World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations to dismantle a wide range of national and European laws protecting the environment, social well being and health, Friends of the Earth Europe revealed today. A list compiled by the environmental group before trade negotiators meet in Geneva [2] shows that legislation covering chemical testing, fisheries, timber and petroleum production, energy efficiency, recycling and standards in the electronics and automobile industries, have all been raised as potential "barriers to trade" in the past few months [3]. Friends of the Earth International's analysis [4] of non-tariff barriers challenged by the countries mentioned above under the so-called 'Non-Agricultural Market Access' negotiations includes 72 challenges to environmental and health standards around the world [5]. Should governments succeed in eliminating these 'non-tariff barriers' they would undo a wealth of legislation designed and implemented to protect people and their environment around the world. Notifications of non-tariff barriers made in the NAMA negotiations does not specify which countries' laws are being challenged. Friends of the Earth Europe has compiled for the EU [6] a selection of some of the more obvious contenders: Chemicals: The European Union's proposed REACH legislation (on the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) is explicitly listed by Japan. Existing European legislation subjecting hazardous chemicals to harmonised classification and labelling requirements could also be under attack. (7) Forest products: Generic challenges listed could have a very serious negative impact, potentially dismantling government timber procurement policies (which may specify certain certification schemes) and EU illegal logging legislation, which will soon require certificates of legal origin from certain importing countries as well as the Forest Stewardship Council certification scheme. Recycling: Hard-fought European laws on recycling of electronic goods, cars and packaging could be lost. The Waste Electrical and Electronic Goods Directive (2003) makes producers and retailers financially responsible for collecting and recycling 4kg of e-waste per person each year. The End of Life Vehicles Directive (2000) aims to reduce the amount of toxic materials used in vehicle manufacture. 80 per cent of vehicles must be reused or recycled by 2006 and certain parts must be marked to aid recycling. The Packaging Directive (amended 2004) requires member states to recycle 55 per cent of packaging waste by 2008. These laws are directly improving the environment by re-using valuable natural resources and preventing pollution. In addition to chemical testing, forest and recycling regulations, other measures are targeted for elimination that
"The WTO is finally showing its true colours. This is a breath-taking and shameful attack on environmental and social standards in the North and the South. Chemical pollution, climate change, deforestation, depleted fish stocks, waste - none of these seem to matter in the slightest when it comes to the all-important business of accessing new markets and making a quick buck. We simply - and literally - cannot allow the EU to support these negotiations. Our future is at stake." said Alexandra Wandel of Friends of the Earth Europe. NOTES TO EDITORS: [2] The WTO's Negotiating Group on Market Access is scheduled to meet in Geneva April 25-29. [3] The WTO's Non-Agricultural Market Access negotiations are part of the overall Doha package of negotiations. They include all sectors a priori except agriculture and service sectors. The NAMA negotiations focus on two elements - liberalization of tariffs and the removal of 'non-tariff barriers' [NTBs] or standards. This report only concerns the latter aspect focusing on the NTBs currently being challenged by governments as barriers to trade. [4] Full details can be found in FOEI's Analysis of Notifications of Non-tariff barriers in Non-agricultural Market Access (NAMA) negotiations of the WTO can be viewed at: and the Database of Selected Notifications which can be viewed at: [5] Most of these challenges appear to have been notified to the WTO after the initial deadline of 31 October 2004 had expired, meaning that the bulk and scope of these notifications was unexpected. These notifications imply that the governments in question either (a) consider the measures listed to be in breach of WTO rules already and therefore potential issues for dispute settlement; or (b) intend to change WTO rules to significantly extend the reach of the WTO in relation todomestic legislation previously unchallenged by the WTO. The pace of negotiations is likely to increase following a meeting of Asian trade ministers in Chiba, Japan on 10th April, who agreed that they would seek a deal on NAMA by July. [6] Additional information about potential EU standards being challenged is available from Friends of the Earth Europe at http://www.foeeurope.org/publications/publications.htm [7] Japan is challenging the European Union's draft REACH legislation on the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals which is intended among other to restrict the use of hazardous chemicals .
Friends of the Earth
Europe campaigns for sustainable and fair societies and for the
protection of the environment, |