Trade and Environment Cell of the Ministry undertake the following items of work:

• Provide technical inputs to the preparatory process in the area of trade and Environment:
• Formulation of MoEF’s views on trade related matters referred to the Ministry by other Ministries including views on issues relating to Regional/Bilateral/Multilateral Trade Agreements and other trade related issues:
• Act as nodal Cell within the Ministry to deal with references received from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry:
• Implementation of the ongoing Project on Trade and Environment; and
• To act as export promotion cell in the Ministry.

Activities undertaken during 2011-12
During the year 2011-12 (upto 31st Dec. 2011) The Trade and Environment Cell of the Ministry furnished inputs to the Department of Commerce (DoC) from environment and forestry point of view for facilitating participation in the ongoing negotiation under WTO. Inputs regarding in the area of the Environmental Goods and Services were also provided as and when required by the DoC. In addition to the above, T&E Cell examined a number of Regional Trade Agreements (RTA), Bilateral Investment Protection Agreements or Investments Treaties, Comprehensive
Economic Cooperation Agreements (CECA) and Free Trade Agreements (FTA) from the environment and forestry point of view. Agreements from Israel, Belarus, China, Finland and Russia etc. were examined and comments furnished. Inputs to the DoC were also provided on REACH as a Non-Tariff Barrier on chemicals by European Union and China. Inputs/Background Note was also provided to DoC on International Maritime Organization (IMO) Negotiations on Market Based Measures (MBMs) to control Green House Gas Emissions from ships. Information/Inputs were also provided to the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion on issues related to the Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs), Transfer of Technology etc. Prepared detailed information on behalf of MoEF to the Department of Commerce for recently concluded India’s Fifth Trade Policy Review (TPR) at the WTO Secretariat, Geneva. As a follow up action to TPR questionnaires/ clarifications by various countries were replied to under strict time limits. Proposals for opening up of liasioning offices in India by developed countries were also processed. Proposals for ongoing India EFTA (Iceland, Norway, Switzerland) Negotiation in Trade and Investment Agreement.
The consultancy project, “Programme on Trade and Environment” continued during the year. The dedicated website – http: /www.mse.ac.in/Trade/index.asp – functions as one-stop resource for Trade and Environment related issues in India with comprehensive coverage of Regional Trade Agreement, Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreements , Free Trade Agreements and Trade & Environment Issues of WTO.

Budget allocation of the scheme during the year and progress of expenditure
Rs.14 lakhs, wan allotted to the Trade & Environment Cell in the current financial year. Out of which Rs.5,54,455/- was released to Madras School of Economics (MSE), Chennai on 4th March, 2011 and Rs. 6,60,409/- was released to MSE on 27th September. 2011.

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