Geneva
Background
Increasingly, timber is a globally traded commodity, along with its derived products. Trade flows, especially of processed timber goods, have grown over the last decades, In this context, some stakeholders believe that despite attempts to minimize obstacles to the free flow of timber products, emerging measures, notably non-tariff ones, are increasingly affecting trade in these products. However, others feel that challenges facing the sector, such as forest degradation and loss, bio-diversity impoverishment, promotion of sustainable management of forests and climate change warrant new thinking.
This one-day workshop co-organized with the Economic Research and Statistics Division of the WTO Secretariat was held on 23 March 2010.
Objectives
Led by expert presentations, workshop participants did discuss the economic impacts of trade and trade-related measures on timber markets. The workshop took into account the role of trade in timber markets and the link between trade liberalization and key challenges facing the forest-based sector. The programme did allow ample time for discussion and frank exchanges of views.
Presentations
Please note the audio is available in English (as spoken) and Russian (interpretation). To access the language, open the .mp3 file and tune the balance to either the left (English) or right (Russian) side.
Title | Speaker | Presentation | Audio file |
|---|---|---|---|
Growing trade of wood and paper products | Mr. Ed Pepke, Acting Chief, UNECE/FAO Timber Section | ||
State of play and key challenges in the timber markets | Mr. Marc Bacchetta, Counsellor, WTO | ||
Tariffs in the timber market and Doha Development Agenda negotiations, a Canadian perspective | Mr. Christopher O’Toole, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Canada, Geneva | ||
Tariffs in the timber market and Doha Development Agenda negotiations, a European Union perspective | Mr. Jeremy Wall (DG Enterprise and Industry) and Mr. Cornelis Keijzer (DG Trade), European Commission | ||
Trade impact of Russian log export taxes, a Finnish perspective | Dr. Timo Karjalainen, Professor, Finnish Forest Research Institute | ||
Trade impact of Russian log export taxes, a Russian perspective | Mr. Denis Sokolov, Chief Executive Officer, Wood Industries Confederation of North West Russia | RUS only | |
Possible impact of subsidies on timber markets | Ms. Barbara Fliess, Senior Analyst, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development | ||
The Forest sector in a green economy | Ms. Maryanne Grieg-Gran, Director, International Institute for Environment and Development | ||
Roundtable on measures designed to fight against illegal logging and other non-tariff measures | |||
Mr. Duncan Brack, Senior Research Fellow, Chatham House | |||
Mr. John Bazill, European Commission, DG Environment | Not available at speaker request | ||
Dr. Eric Hansen, Professor, Oregon State University | |||
Mr. Phil Guillery, Director, The Forest Trust | |||
Ms. Sheam Satkuru-Grazella, Director London Office, Malysian Timber Council | speech only | ||
Mr. Felip de Jaeger, Secretary General, European Confederation of Wood-working Industries (CEI-Bois) | speech only | ||
Mr. Guido Broekhoven, Senior Forest Governance Officer, International for Conservation of Nature | |||
Role and importance of phytosanitary measures in timber markets | |||
Mr. Andre Orlinksi, Senior Scientific Officer, European Plant Protection Organization | |||
Ms. Lee Ann Jackson, Economic Affairs Officer, WTO | |||
Cédric Pène
Lead Workshop Organizer
UNECE/FAO Forestry and Timber Section
Information
Background Information
Controlling Illegal Logging: Consumer-Country Measures (Chatham House)
IUCN Role in Forest Governance (IUCN)
Draft Council Regulation on Timber Markets (EU)
Trade and Deforestation: Literature Review (WTO)
Guide to phytosanitary forestry practices and international standards (EPPO)
Co-organizer
Sponsored by
