In June, 2016, UNCTAD together with its local partners of the Vietnamese Biodiversity Conservation Agency, the BioTrade Interest Group, and Helvetas Vietnam organised a series of capacity building and consultation workshops in Vietnam on Biotrade-related topics: “Identification of barriers to the trade of biodiversity based products” (23 – 24 June) and “the intersection between the Nagoya Protocol, access and benefit sharing rules and BioTrade” (27 – 28 June).
Vietnamese exporters want importers to be more transparent about the trade measures that affect exports from Viet Nam of sustainable biodiversity-based goods, worth $100 million per year. The survey results of non-tariff barriers have found that in addition to pesticides and chemical residues, non-tariff measures (NTMs) that hold back exports from Viet Nam include measures to target packaging and labelling standards. Mr. Bonapas Onguglo, acting Head of UNCTAD's Trade Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development department said that "These barriers are legitimate when they protect endangered species or human, animal and plant life, but it is important to have transparent information about the NTMs on sustainable biodiversity-based goods, so that governments can address them with better regulations"
For the later event, policy makers, regulators and interested businesses in Viet Nam enhanced their understanding of the linkages between access and benefit sharing (ABS) and BioTrade. Both opportunities and challenges brought by the entry into force of the Nagoya Protocol and policy options for its implementation were actively discussed. The Protocol, part of the CBD legal instruments and mandatory for all its signing parties, entered into force in October 2014. As a ratifying country to the Protocol, Viet Nam is currently in the process of adapting its ABS laws and practices to the provisions of the Protocol. It establishes the procedures for access to genetic resources and their associated traditional knowledge, as well as provides mandatory benefits to be shared for their use.
BioTrade, present in Viet Nam since 2012, supports the sustainable sourcing and use of biodiversity by all actors in natural ingredients value chains. Businesses and associations working with BioTrade principles and criteria already comply with certain ABS requirements that are part of the meaning and concept of BioTrade itself. Therefore, those businesses and associations are already one step closer to complying with the provisions of the Nagoya Protocol.
Mr. Miroslav Delaporte, Country Director/SECO reaffirmed that “SECO is convinced that the conservation of biodiversity and alleviation of poverty, especially in rural areas, and promotion of economic growth in developing countries can be achieved through sustainable use of resources and benefit sharing between the actors involved (communities, private sector, governments)”. He also confirmed SECO’s commitment to supporting Biotrade that “SECO has decided to support a regional BioTrade project covering Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar that will be soon launched in Vietnam this year”.
For further information, please contact:
Do Quang Huy
National Program Officer
Swiss Cooperation Office for Vietnam (SDC/ SECO)
Embassy of Switzerland
44B Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Hanoi,Vietnam
Phone: +84 4 3934 66 27
Fax: +84 4 3934 66 33
Email: huy.doquang@eda.admin.ch
