Equivalence and Mutual Recognition in Trade Arrangements Relevance for the WTO and the Codex Alimentarius Commission

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WTO-notifikasjoner som forebygging av handelshindringer på sjømatområdet? SPS- og TBT-notifikasjoner: overvåking og oppfølging i Norge, Chile og Canada

Denne rapporten tar for seg hvordan WTO-notifikasjonene kan benyttes som redskap til å fange opp regelverksendringer og forebygge handelshindringer i viktige markeder for norsk sjømat. Den første delen av rapporten tar for seg systemet for notifikasjoner som en del av kravet til åpenhet i WTO. Videre gis det en kort beskrivelse av de formelle krav og prosedyrer som gjelder for notifikasjoner av endrede og nye reguleringer, samt hvordan medlemslandene forholder seg til dette i praksis. Rapporten går deretter inn på tilgjengelige verktøy som kan brukes for å systematisk følge med på og håndtere notifikasjoner av relevans for handelen med sjømat. Den andre delen av rapporten gir en oversikt over omfang og innhold i sjømatrelaterte notifikasjoner og handelsproblemer (STCs) som rapportert til SPS- og TBT-komiteene i WTO. Deretter beskrives hvordan Norge, Chile og Canada organiserer og erfarer arbeidet med å overvåke og håndtere WTO-notifikasjonene. På denne bakgrunn drøftes hvordan det norske arbeidet med notifikasjonene kan styrkes for å ivareta sjømatinteressene.This report addresses how WTO notofications can be used as tools to monitor regulatory changes and prevent barriers to trade in important markets. The first part of the report addresses the role of Notifications in relation to transparency in the WTO. In addition, the report gives a brief description of the formal requirements and procedures for notifications to the WTO and how member states relate to these requirements in practice. The report then describes available tools that can be used to systematically monitor and deal with notifications of relevance. The second part of the report provides an overview of the scope and content of seafood-related notifications and specific trade concerns (STCs) reported to the SPS and TBT committees in the WTO. Then, the report describes how Norway, Chile and Canada monitoring and manage WTO notofications. Against this background, the report discusses potential governance improvements focusing on the importance of the Norwegian seafood sector

Åpenhet i WTO : oppfølging av notifikasjoner med relevans for handelen med sjømat

Denne rapporten tar for seg hvordan WTO-notifikasjonene kan bidra til at mulige handelshindringer på sjømatområdet lettere fanges opp og håndteres. Den første delen av rapporten tar for seg systemet av notifikasjoner som en del av kravet til åpenhet i WTO. Videre gis det en kort beskrivelse av de formelle krav og prosedyrer som gjelder for notifikasjoner av endrede og nye nasjonale reguleringer, samt hvordan statene forholder seg til dette i praksis. Den andre delen av rapporten ser på hvordan arbeidet med WTO-notifikasjonene foregår i Norge og hvilke erfaringer myndighetene har gjort i forhold til å følge opp sjømatinteressene. Rapporten går deretter inn på tilgjengelige verktøy som kan brukes for å systematisk følge med på og håndtere notifikasjoner av relevans for handelen med sjømat.How can WTO notifications help to monitor and address potential barriers to trade in the seafood sector? The first part of the report examines the system of notifications as part of transparency requirements of the WTO.It then provides a brief description of the formal requirements and procedures for notifying new or changed regulations, as well as how member states relate to this practice. The second part of the report looks at how Norwegian authorities deal with WTO-notifications and what experiences the Norwegian government has done in terms of ensuring the interests of the seafood industry. The report then present available tools to systematically monitor and address notifications of relevance to trade in seafood

Sjømateksport og veterinær grensekontroll med og uten EØS

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The New Paradigm for Nature Protection: A Model for Russia’s High North?

This article addresses whether the new Western paradigm for nature protection, combining conservation and local development, could serve as a model for nature protection in Russia, and for Russia’s High North in particular. The article introduces the new paradigm of protected areas and the Russian protected area (PA) system. Three different types of PAs in the Murmansk Oblast are then presented, focusing on the role protected areas can play in terms of local development. The new paradigm has been embraced in the West, but the dominant form of PA in Russia is still the strictly protected areas – zapovedniks - which do not allow any form of economic activity including nature-based tourism. The number of national parks and nature parks in Russia is slowly increasing, but to establish and develop these forms of PAs suited to promote local develop- ment is challenging. The situation in the Murmansk Oblast illustrates problems such as conflict of interest between different stakeholders, lack of support from the authorities – most notably at Federal level – and bureaucratic hindrances including the system for leasing of land as well as weak tourism infrastructure and competence. However, local “park enthusiasm,” a growing number of tourists and new governmental strategies may contribute to local development in the years to come.Keywords: nature conservation, the new paradigm for protected areas, local de- velopment, nature-based tourism, zapovedniksCitation: Arctic Review on Law and Politics, vol. 3, 2/2011 p. 199–221. ISSN 1891-625

International Trade and Guidelines on Equivalence and Mutual Recognition

The purpose of the report is to provide an overview of international guidelines dealing with the application of equivalence and mutual recognition as trade facilitating tools, focusing on the main aspects and application areas of these guidelines. The aim is furthermore to get a better understanding of both existing relevant guidelines and the possible need for development of further guidance in this area. The report focuses in particular on the potential for applying equivalence and mutual recognition in relation to food trade, and relates this to discussions taking place in the WTO and the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). The report seeks to increase the knowledge about relevant guidelines and thus provide a better basis for decisions on whether to move the work on these issues further in the relevant international forums dealing with trade facilitation.publishedVersio

Bedre markedsadgang? Nye utfordringer, nye løsninger i handelspolitikken

The thesis «Better Market Access? New Challenges, New Trade Policy Instruments» addresses what conditions are critical for the ability of exporting countries to ensure market access for its products in foreign markets? The four qualitative studies of the thesis treat both tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade, and discuss the range of policy instruments available to reduce and remove trade barriers. The main findings of the thesis are that internal factors such as defensive trade interests and lacking national capacity can have negative effects on the ability of states to ensure and improve market access. Furthermore, asymmetrical power-dependence relations can put importing countries in a position to dictate market conditions, restrict and refuse market access. The man conclusion is nevertheless that exporting states can benefit from adapting more proactive policies and cooperating long term and more systematically with trading partner on different levels. In particular, the thesis emphasizes the value of soft/non-binding regulatory cooperation to prevent and reduce non-tariff barriers to trade