Sustainability Impact Assessment
of
Proposed WTO Multilateral Trade Negotiations
Institute for
Development Policy and Management
The University of Manchester
Home
Current Studies
Completed Studies (Year Two, Phase 3)
Completed Studies (Year One, Phase 3)
The SIA methodology for Phase Three
Phase Two
Phase One
Links to European Commission SIA studies
Impact
Assessment Research Centre
SIA-WEB: Sustainable Impact Assessment Web Portal
This web site will be periodically updated as this work progresses. The contractors welcome comments and suggestions from interested parties on their work and can be contacted directly either via email or by post using the feedback facility on this web site.
©
IDPM
The University of Manchester
2004
Completed Studies (Year Two, Phase 3)
The second year of Phase Three has been completed (January 2004 - September 2005), and consisted of three sectoral SIA studies, as follows:
- Agriculture;
- Forestry; and
- Distribution Services
The agriculture study examined key cross-cutting impacts associated with trade opening of agricultural products as a whole, illuminated by, but not restricted to, in-depth assessment of major food and cash crops, livestock and interactions between them. The study recognised the major distinctions between temperate and tropical agricultural commodities.
The forest study assessed the potential economic, social and environmental impacts on forests, consecutive to outcomes of WTO negotiations. The study provided an assessment of the expected magnitude of the impacts on sustainability. Furthermore, the specificity of various regions/sub-regions and sectors/sub-sectors needed to be integrated in the analysis. It also assessed the impacts of measures in the trade field that are the subject of current debate and are identified as possible mitigating measures.
The distribution services study examined key impacts associated with further liberalisation of trade in distribution services, and compared them with a baseline scenario of full implementation of existing agreements. The study made a balanced assessment of impacts on social, environmental and economic aspects of sustainable development. It made use of objective, factual, measurable data-based elements of information, and qualitative analyses. Appropriate consideration was given to all four modes of supply, and to the interaction with the liberalisation of other service sectors, like transport, environmental, telecom, computer and business services.
A meeting was held on 27th January 2004 with EC Core WTO Steering Committee for SIA Studies and Steering Committee Sector Members to discuss the general launch of the project.
Revised Inception Reports for each study were submitted to the European Commission on 27th April 2004.
Revised Mid-Term Reports for the Overall Project report and Distribution Services Study were submitted on 31st January 2005, with the Forest Sector Study on 16 November 2004. The Mid-Term Report for the Agriculture Sector Study was discussed at a Civil Society Meeting, hosted by the European Commission, on Tuesday 1st March 2005.
Draft Final Reports (April 2005) for each study were discussed at a Civil Society Meeting on 19th May 2005. Final (Revised) Reports were submitted on 21st June 2005. The final revision for the Agriculture Sector Study was submitted in September 2005.
