Geneva, 01/12/2009 (Agence Europe) - As the Copenhagen international conference on climate change fast approaches, trade ministers meeting in Geneva since 30 November at the 7th WTO ministerial conference unanimously stressed the need to rapidly liberalise the trade in environmental goods and services. Such products range from catalytic convertors and air filters to consultancy services relating to the management of waste water, solar panels and wind farms, which are the subject of a specific chapter in the Doha talks. “Some like-minded nations, including Japan, are considering conducting discussions with a view to achieving an early agreement to liberalise trade in environmental goods. I hope that other interested members will join these discussions, and provide fresh impetus to the Round as a whole”, the Japanese minister, Masayuki Naoshima, said on Tuesday 1 December. “It's riding with the political wave. This is just elementary common sense”, said Tim Groser from New Zealand. Opening the meeting on Monday, US representative Ron Kirk, Simon Crean of Australia, the former European trade commissioner, Catherine Ashton, and Ewa Björling of Sweden had also urged for environmental goods and services to be liberalised, as well as clean technologies. Reducing customs duties to zero on environmental goods and services is the best contribution that trade policy can make to the fight against climate change, said Ms Ashton. On behalf of Europe, she went on to invite all WTO members to “step up work in this field”. “The target, in Copenhagen, is to involve all countries in the fight against climate change. The WTO can play a role to promote the diffusion of clean technology”, French Secretary of State for External Trade Anne Marie Idrac acknowledged on Tuesday. It is also necessary, she said, to avoid “havens of pollution” through carbon leaks, against which trade mechanisms must be found. When asked by the press about the commitment by France, which is in favour of a carbon tax at borders for exports against refractory countries so that they assume their share of the climate burden, in favour of reducing customs duties to zero on environmental goods and services, Ms Idrac said she found this a good idea. “Yes, if everyone undertakes to do this within the Doha framework in line with the global nature of the talks”, she said, however. When it comes to the carbon tax, the French representative said she had raised the issue with other ministers, with a view to coming into line with the United States which is also in favour of an adjustment mechanism at borders, as long as it is compatible with WTO rules. Mari Pangestu of Indonesia, for her part, also said she approved of liberalising green goods and services. She underlined the need for financial support and for the transfer of technologies from developed countries to their developing partners with a view to facilitating the transition of the latter towards a low-carbon economy. (E.H./transl.jl)