Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
to power politics between ministries with disparate
nancial and human resources, with
environmental agencies most often representing the weaker institution.
As such the stages of the policy-making process comprise raising awareness; increasing
understanding about basic principles governing international trade and multilateral envi-
ronmental agreements; agreeing upon policy goals; identifying policy priorities; conduct-
ing policy analysis; assessing policy options through consultative arrangements; forging
agreement on policy approaches through coordination and consensus-building; and
adopting coherent policy positions. Trade and environment policy-making in the Arab
region to date remains mostly concentrated in the initial stages of the policy process, with
progress being made in the areas of policy identi
fi
fi
cation, consultation and analysis of pri-
ority issues.
Regional priorities
Trade and environment priorities in the Arab region are generally associated with con-
cerns regarding market access, competitiveness and the implementation of trade-related
MEAs in a manner consistent with international trade rules. Two regional priorities
identi
ed by Arab countries are elaborated below to illustrate components of the policy
development process in the region.
10
fi
rst examines compliance with environmental,
health and safety standards, while the second looks at the proposed liberalization of envi-
ronmental goods and services.
The
fi
Compliance with environmental, health and safety standards
The positions taken on trade and environment issues in Arab countries have often
di
ered from the stance taken by countries in the North, which were the initial propo-
nents of incorporating trade and environment concerns into multilateral agreements.
This has been primarily due to di
ff
erences in the development priorities between coun-
tries in the North and South, and the weight given to short-term socio-economic
dimensions of achieving sustainable development. These di
ff
erences in perspective are
manifested in the increased commitment to consumer health and safety in the North,
compared to growing concern regarding technical barriers to trade (TBT) and sanitary
and phytosanitary (SPS) measures that are impeding market access of exports from the
South. While an environment and trade issue, the challenge is also closely tied to sus-
tainability priorities associated with income creation, employment generation and the
competitiveness of small producers, which are also development priorities in the Arab
region.
The globalization of the marketplace and international supply chains has changed the
way that business is conducted. Key export sectors for the Arab region include agro-
food products,
ff
sheries, garments, electronics and chemicals. Compliance with manda-
tory standards associated with these sectors is required to access foreign markets.
Such measures are allowable under the WTO provided that they are scienti
fi
fi
cally
based and justi
ed for the purpose of protecting the environment, human health and
safety. The resulting requirements often in
fi
uence the entire production line from raw
materials to processing, packaging, labeling and disposal. For example, EU Directive
2002/95/EC restricts the use of certain hazardous substances in the production of elec-
tronic equipment, while Directive 2002/96/EC regulates the recycling of waste from elec-
trical and electronic equipment. National producers as well as importers are subject to
fl
