Biofuels, organic food proposed as environmental goods

Brazil and Peru proposed, at the Committee on Trade and Environment Special Session on 1-2 November 2007, that biofuels and organic food products, respectively, be considered as environmental goods subject to tariff cuts or elimination in the Doha Round



Brazil said that the group has to start looking at environmental products where developing countries could be competitive, such as biofuels. It maintained that the Committee's negotiating mandate was not limited to industrial products.



In its proposal, Brazil also urged a request-offer instead of a list approach in the negotiations. It also proposed that the CODEX Committees develop or harmonize standards for organically produced food.



Peru said that treating organically or biologically grown agricultural products as environmental goods would help combat poverty and the drugs traffic in the Andean region. It said its proposal should be seen as a complement to the Brazilian paper.



A number of delegations welcomed Brazil's proposal, including Chile, Colombia and Singapore. New Zealand recalled that it had previously nominated biodiesel as an environmental good.



Colombia, Chile and South Africa supported Peru's proposal on organic food.



Some other delegations, including Australia, the European Union, Japan and the United States, maintained their reservations about including agricultural products in the trade-and-environment negotiations.



A number of delegations welcomed Brazil's proposal for a new approach in the negotiations as a way to invigorate the negotiations. However, several questions were raised regarding the practicability and timeframe of such an approach.

Source: TWO News