Event

Unpacking the EU's Green Initiatives - Webinar

    Overview

    Unpacking the EU's Green Initiatives - Webinar

    The International Trade Centre delivered the first webinar of its three-part webinar series on ‘Unpacking the EU’s green initiatives' on 14 April 2022, 09.30 - 11.30am CET.

    Trade is a pivotal instrument for creating policies and regulations that set the framework conditions to usher in a green economy and foster green trade opportunities for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). With environmental sustainability and climate resilience becoming important determinants of enterprise competitiveness, it is increasingly important for MSMEs to understand, adapt to and leverage opportunities in green trade; and for governments to have in place the required regulatory, policy and institutional frameworks to enable businesses to comply with greener standards as well as to meet shifting consumer demands; and facilitate operations to become less resource-intensive and more environmentally sustainable.

    The EU is implementing several initiatives to mainstream environmental sustainability and green growth into its trade policy framework – including through dedicated chapters on trade and sustainable development in its FTAs, environmental commitments to access preferences under its GSP schemes, and various regulatory initiatives relating to sustainable products and supply chains, climate change mitigation, etc.

    The aim of this webinar was to introduce stakeholders to the various EU green initiatives and regulatory developments which have an impact on trade and developing countries access to the EU market. This webinar demonstrated the importance of being up to date on such initiatives and participants discussed how it can impact exports from developing countries seeking to access the EU market.

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    Video

    22 April 2022
    Webinar
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    Read more about Sustainable trade and investment
    Date & location
    14 April 2022

    Online

    Programme

    Thursday
    14 April 2022
    09:30 - 10:20
    CET
    Keynote Presentation: EU’s Green Initiatives and Implications on Trade
    Paolo Vergano
    Partner – FratiniVergano
    Tobias Dolle
    Senior Associate – FratiniVergano
    10:20 - 11:00
    CET
    Panel Discussion: Translating global trade initiatives on trade and sustainable development into domestic practices
    Khemraj Ramful
    Senior Adviser on Export Quality Management @International Trade Centre
    Chris Humphrey
    Executive Director @EU - ASEAN Business Council
    Paolo Vergano
    Partner – FratiniVergano
    Tobias Dolle
    Senior Associate – FratiniVergano
    Ms. Victoria Tuomisto
    Programme Officer, Trade Facilitation and Policy for Business
    11:00 - 11:30
    CET
    Q&A
    Q&A sessions will follow the keynote presentation and after the panel discussion
    Chris Humphrey
    Executive Director @EU - ASEAN Business Council
    Khemraj Ramful
    Senior Adviser on Export Quality Management @International Trade Centre
    Paolo Vergano
    Partner – FratiniVergano
    Tobias Dolle
    Senior Associate – FratiniVergano
    Ms. Victoria Tuomisto
    Programme Officer, Trade Facilitation and Policy for Business

    Speakers

    5 speakers

    Chris Humphrey

    Executive Director @EU - ASEAN Business Council
    Mr. Humphrey is the Executive Director of the Singapore-based EU-ASEAN Business Council; which advocates for the interests of EU businesses operating in ASEAN. It is endorsed by the European Commission and recognised by the ASEAN Secretariat. He has over 20 years of experience dealing with governments and regulatory authorities providing insights on ASEAN integration and EU-ASEAN trade relations.

    Khemraj Ramful

    Senior Adviser on Export Quality Management @International Trade Centre
    Mr. Ramful has over 35 years of experience in standards and quality management, occupying several positions including Director of the Mauritius Standards Bureau, Member of the Mauritius Accreditation Services Advisory Council, and consultancy services for standards and quality issues. At ITC, he manages the Export Quality Management Practice.

    Paolo Vergano

    Partner – FratiniVergano
    Mr. Vergano is an expert on international trade law issues of market access, technical barriers, custom regulations, and rules of origin. He has been involved in dispute settlement at consultation, Panel and Appellate Body level, and advised countries in WTO accession. He advises Governments/private interests on agricultural and services negotiations at multilateral, regional and bilateral level.

    Tobias Dolle

    Senior Associate – FratiniVergano
    Mr. Dolle has previous experience at the International Trade Division of the German Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection, focusing on trade issues in relation to food and agriculture. He has held positions at the WTO Division of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy and the legal department of the German Argentinean Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Argentina

    Ms. Victoria Tuomisto

    Programme Officer, Trade Facilitation and Policy for Business
    Ms. Tuomisto is supporting implementation of trade facilitation related technical assistance programmes at ITC. Prior to ITC, she was engaged at The Economist in the Economist Intelligence Unit and in the Economist Corporate Networks. She has published on several articles/reports on trade facilitation reforms, addressing barriers to cross-border trade, and strengthening regional integration.