--- title: WTO Environmental Goods Agreement Made New Progress description: Ministers and senior officials from the 18 participants in the World Trade Organization (WTO) Environmental Goods Agreement (EGA) met in Geneva. image: https://insights.tuv.com/hubfs/Blog%20Assets/Images/WTO-Environmental-Goods-Agreement-Made-New-ProgressBANNER.jpg --- [![Home](https://insights.tuv.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog%20Assets/Home-Icon.png?width=56&name=Home-Icon.png "Home")](http://apac.tuv.com/tuv-blog) ![TUV Logo](https://insights.tuv.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog%20Assets/Tuv-Logo.jpg?width=310&name=Tuv-Logo.jpg "TUV Logo") ![Search](https://insights.tuv.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog%20Assets/Header-Search-Icon.jpg?width=33&name=Header-Search-Icon.jpg "Search") ![](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/1598866/pack-5/Cross_Icon.png) [## Sustainability in the news headlines ](https://insights.tuv.com/sustainability/us-epa-completed-pilot-assessment-of-ecolabels-and-standards) [## Sustainability Insights & Recommended Readings ](https://insights.tuv.com/sustainability/status-and-development-of-energy-management-systems) [## Building the Business Case ](https://insights.tuv.com/sustainability/connecting-the-future-huawei) [## TÜV Rheinland’s Pro-Sustainability Perspective ](https://insights.tuv.com/sustainability/tüv-rheinland-green-product-mark-awarded-with-genices-certificate) [## Get Involved in Pro-Sustainability ](https://insights.tuv.com/sustainability/im-a-sample) ![Mail](https://insights.tuv.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog%20Assets/Mail.png?width=58&height=60&name=Mail.png "Mail") [Contact Us](http://apac.tuv.com/sustainability-contact) ### Opt in our Pro-Sustainability Newsletter [## TÜV Rheinland Pro-Sustainability ](https://insights.tuv.com/sustainability/tüv-rheinland-green-product-mark-awarded-with-genices-certificate) 20.01.2017 ## [TÜV Rheinland Green Product Mark Awarded with GENICES Certificate](https://insights.tuv.com/sustainability/tüv-rheinland-green-product-mark-awarded-with-genices-certificate) 19.01.2017 ## [Green Product Mark Now Available in ITC Standards Map](https://insights.tuv.com/sustainability/green-product-mark-now-available-in-itc-standards-map) 17.01.2017 ## [TÜV Rheinland Supports APEC Cooperation Network on the Green Supply Chain](https://insights.tuv.com/sustainability/tüv-rheinland-supports-apec-cooperation-network-on-the-green-supply-chain) 16.01.2017 ## [TÜV Rheinland Expert Elected Water Stewardship Technical Committee Member](https://insights.tuv.com/sustainability/tüv-rheinland-expert-elected-water-stewardship-technical-committee-member) [## Sustainability in the news headlines ](https://insights.tuv.com/sustainability/us-epa-completed-pilot-assessment-of-ecolabels-and-standards) 19.01.2017 ## [US EPA Completed Pilot Assessment of Ecolabels and Standards](https://insights.tuv.com/sustainability/us-epa-completed-pilot-assessment-of-ecolabels-and-standards) 14.01.2017 ## [EU Environmental Footprint Pilot Near Completion](https://insights.tuv.com/sustainability/eu-environmental-footprint-pilot-near-completion) 13.01.2017 ## [Green Product Certification Reform On-going in China](https://insights.tuv.com/sustainability/green-product-certification-reform-on-going-in-china) 12.01.2017 ## [ISO Initiated New Taskforce on Ethical Labelling](https://insights.tuv.com/sustainability/iso-initiated-new-taskforce-on-ethical-labelling) 11.01.2017 ## [First International Standard Upcoming for Sustainable Procurement](https://insights.tuv.com/sustainability/first-international-standard-upcoming-for-sustainable-procurement) [## Building the Business Case ](https://insights.tuv.com/sustainability/connecting-the-future-huawei) 05.01.2017 ## [Connecting the Future: Huawei](https://insights.tuv.com/sustainability/connecting-the-future-huawei) [## Sustainability Insights & Recommended Readings ](https://insights.tuv.com/sustainability/status-and-development-of-energy-management-systems) 05.01.2017 ## [Status and Development of Energy Management Systems](https://insights.tuv.com/sustainability/status-and-development-of-energy-management-systems) [## Get Involved in Pro-Sustainability ](https://insights.tuv.com/sustainability/im-a-sample) 05.01.2017 ## [I'm a sample](https://insights.tuv.com/sustainability/im-a-sample) ##### Whitepaper ## Status & Development of Energy Management Systems Ever since the industrial revolution, production activities undertaken by mankind have pushed the concentration of greenhouse gases to new heights. 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Constructive talks were held and progress was made, but participants were not in a position to close the existing gaps at this point. The intensive discussions set the stage for further talks in the near future. Mr. Roberto Azevedo, the [Director-General of WTO](https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news16_e/ega_04dec16_e.htm) said: *“Participants negotiated in good faith and made good progress towards an agreement. I believe that the knowledge and understanding gained in these discussions will help us to move forward in the near future. I urge participants to show whatever flexibility they can to help conclude the deal.* *“This is not the usual kind of trade agreement as it is focused on protecting a common global good: the environment. The trading system should be in a position to make a positive and meaningful contribution towards tackling environmental degradation. I believe that all delegations involved in these discussions remain committed to this, and to building on recent achievements such as the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.* *“I would like to thank all delegations for their intensive work. I would also like to thank Michael Froman, US Trade Representative, and Cecilia Malmström, European Trade Commissioner, as co-chairs of the ministerial discussions this weekend, and Andrew Martin of Australia for his efforts as chair of the overall negotiating process.”* ![WTO-Environmental-Goods-Agreement-Made-New-ProgressBODY1.jpg](https://insights.tuv.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog%20Assets/Images/WTO-Environmental-Goods-Agreement-Made-New-ProgressBODY1.jpg?width=627&height=408&name=WTO-Environmental-Goods-Agreement-Made-New-ProgressBODY1.jpg) The 18 participants representing 46 WTO members account for most of the global trade in environmental goods. Since January 2014, they have been engaged in negotiations to slash duties on products used in a variety of environmentally-related functions including: generating clean and renewable energy; improving energy and resource efficiency; reducing air, water and soil pollution; managing solid and hazardous waste; noise abatement; and monitoring environmental quality. The EGA participants are: Australia; Canada; China; Costa Rica; the European Union (representing Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom); Hong Kong, China; Iceland; Israel; Japan; Korea; New Zealand; Norway; Singapore; Switzerland; Liechtenstein; Chinese Taipei; Turkey; and the United States. Reference: [https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/envir_e/ega_e.htm](https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/envir_e/ega_e.htm)   - [**](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Finsights.tuv.com%2Fsustainability%2Fwto-environmental-goods-agreement-made-new-progress) - [**](https://www.twitter.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Finsights.tuv.com%2Fsustainability%2Fwto-environmental-goods-agreement-made-new-progress) - [**](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://insights.tuv.com/sustainability/wto-environmental-goods-agreement-made-new-progress) - [**](https://plus.google.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Finsights.tuv.com%2Fsustainability%2Fwto-environmental-goods-agreement-made-new-progress) ##### Whitepaper ## Status & Development of Energy Management Systems Ever since the industrial revolution, production activities undertaken by mankind have pushed the concentration of greenhouse gases to new heights. 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