The Seminar examined key trade and environment issues facing the Arab region, building upon the findings and recommendations of previous deliberations and studies on the subject. In doing so, the Seminar sought to achieve regional consensus on trade and environment priorities for the Arab countries, prior to their submission to the Joint Committee on Environment and Development in the Arab Region (JCEDAR), and in preparation for the 18th session of the Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for the Environment (CAMRE), which seized trade and environment as one of its themes.

	Agenda

	List of participants

Session 1: OPENING SESSION AND OVERVIEW

	Opening Speech Trade, Environment and Sustainable Development: Priorities for the South‎ Mr. Mark Halle, Institute for International Sustainable Development Doha Work Programme Mr. Mohsen Helal, ESCWA Trade-related Multilateral Environmental Agreements Mr. Ayman Eltalouny, UNEP/ROWA

Session 2 - ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR INCREASING MARKET ACCESS

General Principles and the Impact of Environmental Requirements on Key Sectors in the Arab Region Ms. Carol Chouchani Cherfane, ESCWA Environmental Considerations Affecting Trade in Agricultural and Agro-industrial Goods within the Arab Region Mr. Atef Idriss, Middle East North Africa Food Safety Associates (MEFOSA) Tools for Assessing the Impact of Liberalizing Environmental Goods and Services Mr. Robert Hamwey, UNCTAD Reference list of Arab Environmental Goods (in Arabic) League of Arab States

Session 3 - POLICY COORDINATION AND PRIORITY SETTING ON TRADE AND ENVIRONMENT

	Sustainability Impact Assessment of the Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Area Mr. Clive George, University of Manchester Trade and Environment Decision-Making in the Arab Region Ms. Carol Chouchani Cherfane, ESCWA

Further information can be found on the ESCWA website at http://www.escwa.org.lb/divisions/events/20Nov06.asp