APEC ministers agree on list of 54environmental goods
RUSSKY ISLAND (Vladivostok) . Sept 6 (Interfax) - APEC country ministers have agreed on a list of 54 so-called environmental goods, import duties on which will be lowered to 5% and less by 2015, Russian Economic Development Minister Andrei Belousov said at a briefing following the meeting of APEC foreign and trade ministers on Russky Island on Thursday.
"The breakthrough result was the establishment of a so-called list of environmental goods. We are talking about products that are strongly associated to protection of the environment, to evaluating risks to nature, and to water and air quality control, which are in essence moving to a duty-free trade zone," he said.
If the list is approved by APEC leaders, then all the countries will undertake to lower import duties on these products to 5% and under by 2015. "In some countries these duties are currently 30% and more, so a new market for goods that evaluate the quality of the environment is being opened," Belousov said.
This task was set back in 2011 within the framework of the WTO, but WTO members have not yet agreed on a list. "During Russia's presidency of APEC such a list, which contains 54 items, has been established," the minister said.
Belousov said the goods were "green", environmentally friendly products, goods that ensure "environmental growth." They include measurement devices to control water and air quality, environmental monitoring systems, wind generators and so on.
"The passions [in the discussion of the list] were tremendous," he said. On Wednesday 20 products were approved and that was then increased to 25. "But it was decided [by the ministries] that such a list could not be submitted for approval to the leaders. 25 is just embarrassing - it is very little," the minister said. So in one day "relying of course on elements that countries arrived with, the list was brought to a significant 54. And today all countries [there are 21 members of APEC' approved the list," he said.
"This is a good result, especially as it was achieved amid increased protectionism in international trade, which many are talking about, and amid the very complex problems taking place in the WTO Doha round," he said.