The European Commission’s EU Trade Newsletter of 2 October 2014, reported that on 22-26 September, the EU and 13 other members of the World Trade Organization participated in the second round of the green goods negotiations (liberalising trade in environmental goods and services) in Geneva. The objective of this initiative was to make it easier to trade green goods internationally. The following countries are taking part:
The second round focused on products and technologies dealing with air pollution control and solid and hazardous waste treatment, and the discussions were facilitated by invited experts from international organisations, national environmental agencies, and the industry. In the next round scheduled for 1-5 December, the negotiators will discuss wastewater management and water treatment, remediation and clean-up of soil and water, noise and vibration abatement. Other environmental categories that will be tackled afterwards are, among other, cleaner and renewable energy, resource efficiency, including energy efficiency, environmental monitoring, analysis and assessment. Additional information is available on the Commission’s Green Goods Initiative website. |