About

Our dialogues, publications, and other activities on evolving and emerging policy developments in the area of standards and regulations.

Dialogue

WTO Public Forum Session - Addressing Environmentally Harmful Agricultural Subsidies Through the WTO

The public forum session will explore options to tackle environmentally harmful agriculture subsidies through the WTO.

10 September 2024
Publication - Compilation

Reiving Multilateralism: From Vision to Action on Trade and Sustainability at the WTO

A compilation of expert views published in Synergies and curated by TESS.

TESS 10 September 2024
Expert View

Making a Border Carbon Adjustment Mechanism Work for Climate, Trade, and Equity

The WTO could play a constructive role to enhance understanding of carbon border adjustment mechanisms.

Kasturi Das & Kaushik Ranjan Bandyopadhyay 29 August 2024
Expert View

The Emerging Principle of Common Concern of Humankind and International Trade Regulation

Common Concern of Humankind has the potential to support the application and interpretation of existing trade law.

Thomas Cottier 07 August 2024
Expert View

Unlocking the Potential of International Trade to Promote a Global Secondary Market and the Transition to a Circular Economy: What Role for the WTO?

The transition to a circular economy must be based on multilateral collaboration and coordination.

Antoine Oger & Pierre Leturcq 28 June 2024
Dialogue

Roundtable on Trade, Sustainability, and Circularity in the Textiles Sector: Perspectives on Trade in Second Hand Textiles

The roundtable addressed sustainable development considerations in used textiles trade.

03 June 2024
News - News

TESS Contributes to Working Group Meetings of the WTO Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions

TESSD deliberations should move towards specific discussions on options for collective action and concrete results.

17 April 2024
Expert View

Greening Supply Chains: Sleepwalking Into a New Era of Trade Policy?

Trade negotiators are advised to become acquainted with the dynamics of the environmental and financial communities.

Marion Jansen 07 March 2024
Expert View

Protecting Forests Through Sustainable Supply Chains: A Future Role for the WTO?

For an informal dialogue on trade and environmentally sustainable forests and agricultural commodities at the WTO.

Brendan Vickers 05 March 2024
Expert View

The Governance of Trade as if a Healthy Planet Really Mattered

For the redesign of a trade regime placed at the service of a healthy, balanced, and equitable planetary community.

Mark Halle 29 February 2024
News - News

TESS Issues Statement at WTO Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions Plenary Meeting

The co-sponsors of the TESSD initiative continue work, with governments gearing up for the 13th Ministerial Conference.

08 February 2024
Expert View

Achieving an Inclusive Circular Economy: The Role of the Harmonized System of Codes

On facilitating the transition to a circular economy that supports sustainable development.

Jack Barrie & Gael Grooby 19 December 2023
Publication - Policy Paper

Standards and Related Initiatives in International Cooperation to End Plastic Pollution: Mapping and State of Play

On the role that international cooperation on standards can play in supporting global efforts to end plastic pollution.

Carolyn Deere Birkbeck, Mahesh Sugathan, Sophie Boinnard, Valeriia Grekova, & Belinda Cleeland 28 September 2023
Publication - Policy Paper

Sustainability Standards and Requirements for Agriculture: International Trade Considerations

On the evolving landscape of sustainability requirements for agriculture and related international trade considerations

UNEP & ITC 13 September 2023
Expert View

The Case for a Global Triangle Forum at the WTO

On a Global Triangle Forum to foster dialogue and cooperation on trade, environment, and development at the WTO.

Pascal Lamy, Geneviève Pons, Colette van der Ven, & Claudia Azevedo 12 September 2023
Dialogue

Roundtable on Trade and Sustainability Requirements and Standards in Agriculture: Options for Enhanced International Cooperation

UNEP, ITC, & TESS convened an informal roundtable on trade & sustainability requirements & standards in agriculture

23 May 2023
Dialogue

Roundtable on Trade and Deforestation: Options for Enhanced and Inclusive International Cooperation

UNEP & TESS convened this informal roundtable as part of our sustainable agriculture and trade roundtable series.

28 April 2023
Publication - Presentation

Sustainable Supply Chains and Deforestation: The Landscape of Trade Policy Initiatives and Emerging Issues

Summary of the trade related aspects linked to sustainable supply chains and deforestation.

Marianne Kettunen 11 January 2023
Publication - Policy Brief

Trade and Sustainability in the Agricultural Sector: Options for Multilateral Trade Cooperation

Analysis of the complex relationship between trade and sustainability in the agricultural sector.

Christophe Bellmann 13 December 2022
Publication - Briefing Note

Securing a Just and Inclusive Global Green Economy Through Trade Policy

On how to secure a just and inclusive global green economy through trade policy.

Nicolas Lockhart, Dominic Coppens, Katherine Connolly, & Stella Perantakou 29 March 2022
Dialogue

Building Resilient and Sustainable Regional and Global Value Chains through the AfCFTA

Session on how the African continent can harness the AfCFTA to advance the green transition.

01 October 2021
Publication - Policy Brief

Standards and the International Standardization Landscape: Relevance to Plastics

An overview of standardization organizations and plastics standards and their role in combatting plastic pollution.

Reinhard Weissinger 26 August 2021