Geneva

To protect the health and safety of the public and the environment, Governments set standards for goods and services that are placed on the market. Such standards play a crucial role in maintaining and improving our quality of life. Approximating legal, regulatory, standards and environmental frameworks has undeniable health, safety and economic benefits in general. But too many standards and regulations hinder international trade and stifle competition.

On 20 and 21 June, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) will host an Executive Forum on “Common Regulatory Language for Global Trade” to discuss these issues. Among the questions the Forum will address are:

• How can regulatory convergence help create a level playing field for all economic actors?
• When and how should Governments regulate?
• How can technical barriers to trade be eliminated?
• What are the current general and sector-specific issues in the area of regulatory convergence?

Speakers in the Forum will include representatives of national and regional regulatory authorities; international organizations, including the World Trade Organization and the International Organization for Standardization; and consumer and business associations.

During the two-day event, participants will have the opportunity to:

• Examine current developments and approaches in regulatory reform and related other standardization areas in the region.
• Identify ways to improve intra-European and transatlantic regulatory dialogue and cooperation.
• Exchange information on regulatory convergence trends and good regulatory practices in other regions.
• Gain a better understanding of UNECE regulatory activities, help identify synergies, and propose inter-sectoral projects that could be carried out by UNECE.

For further information, please consult the attached Forum programme or visit our website at

The Forum will be held with simultaneous interpretation in English, French and Russian. Participation is free of charge, but registration is compulsory and participants are responsible for their own travel and hotel accommodation.

For further information, please contact:

For registration, please contact:

Ref: ECE/TRADE/06/P02