unfss

About UNFSS

The United Nations Forum on Sustainability Standards (UNFSS) is a joint initiative of 5 UN Agencies (FAO, ITC, UNCTAD, UN Environment and UNIDO) that seeks to address these challenges. It is a demand-driven forum for intergovernmental actors to communicate among each other and engage with key target groups (producers, traders, consumers, standard-setters, certification-bodies, trade diplomats, relevant NGOs and researchers) to address their information needs and influence concerned stakeholders. It aims to provide impartial information, analysis, and discussions on VSS and their potential contribution to facilitate market access, strengthen public goods and achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Most importantly, the UNFSS focuses on potential trade or development obstacles VSS may create, with particular emphasis on their impact on SMEs and less developed countries.

October 16, 2018

NTMs Week expert-meeting summary on “UNFSS 3rd Flagship Report on VSS, Trade and Sustainable Development”

NTMs Week expert-meeting summary on: “UNFSS 3rd Flagship Report on VSS, Trade and Sustainable Development” Thursday 11th October 2018, 11.30am-1pm. Watch recorded session here UNFSS Coordinator and UNCTAD Senior Economist, Santiago Fernandez de Cordoba delivered an introductory presentation highlighting the key components of UNFSS as a neutral, independent platform to harness the potentials of VSS to achieve the SDGs, mainly through facilitating developing countries’ access to the global markets and stimulating well-informed policy dialogue among key stakeholders on the national and international level.

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October 4, 2018

Key Takeaway From the International Convention on Sustainable Trade and Standards (ICSTS), New Delhi India

With around 500 participants, the International Convention on Sustainable Trade and Standards (ICSTS) welcomed over 20 nationalities from diverse sectors along the supply chain. The convention in itself addresses 12 key topics through panel discussions, from the challenges of multiplicity to the challenges of global value chains connected to social accountability. discusses thematic sessions on ways to strengthen multi-stakeholder initiatives and responsible sourcing decisions in agri-food, fisheries, textiles and forestry, each of which were chaired by the UNFSS Steering Committee members. raises

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September 25, 2018

Presentation of 3rd UNFSS Flagship at NTMs Week 2018, October 11, Geneva

Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs) Week Trade Regulations and Voluntary Sustainability Standards Date: 9-11 October 2018 Venue: Room XXV, Palais des Nations, Geneva Hosted by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the NTM week will provide a platform for policymakers, practitioners and researchers to discuss cutting-edge issues surrounding the impact of Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs), including voluntary sustainability standards (VSS), on international trade and sustainable development. Together, they will consider ways of “shaping sustainable trade amid protectionism”. Regulatory and non-regulatory measures have become more

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September 17, 2018

Launch of the 3rd Flagship Report: Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS), Trade and Sustainable Development

3rd UNFSS Flagship Report: Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS), Trade and Sustainable Development   The relationship between Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS), trade and sustainable development are among the most pronounced concepts sought-after the realm of green global value chains. We typically see the benefits of imposing sustainability standards as a positive advantage contributing to the environment, social and the economy. The VSS system has in fact influence the export landscape to either facilitate market access or become an obstacle to trade, especially for importing countries that have turned to

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August 29, 2018

UNFSS at the T4SD Forum 2018

How do trade contribute to SDG 12 “Responsible Consumption and Production”? Find out at the T4SD Forum 2018! Registrations are now open! bit.ly/T4SDForum2018 The International Trade Centre (ITC), one of UNFSS’s composed agencies, will be hosting its fifth Trade for Sustainable Development Forum at the ITC headquarters in Geneva from 1-3 October 2018. The T4SD Forum 2018 will be held in parallel with the World Trade Organization (WTO) Public Forum 2018. Working in the same direction as UNFSS’s goal towards “better trade

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August 7, 2018

International Convention on Sustainable Trade and Standards | 17-18 September 2018

International Convention on Sustainable Trade and Standards  Leveraging Trade, Global Value Chains, and Standards as engines of Sustainable Development 17-18 September 2018 | New Delhi, India The International Convention on Sustainable Trade and Standards (ICSTS) is organized by the India National Platform on Private Sustainability Standards (India PSS Platform) and convened by the Quality Council of India, in collaboration with UNFSS. Registrations Open (link below). From topics on international trade, innovations in sustainable global value chains, and sustainability standard settings, to government policies and multi-stakeholder

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July 17, 2018

Discover Sustainable Value Chain through VSS

The idea of ‘Sustainable Consumption and Production’ comes in manifold. Where Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) are concerned, sustainable production is essentially complying to VSS schemes, and sustainable consumption is purchasing products with VSS labels. Although this may sound simple, there are however a wide array of complexities VSS may indirectly undermine the simplicity of this implementation. UNFSS have proceeded to develop a series of informational videos that could speak not just to direct stakeholders, but also to the public in general,

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July 3, 2018

Launch Preview: The 3rd UNFSS Flagship on VSS, Trade and Sustainable Development

What are the impacts of Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) from the trade policy perspective? Can one consider VSS as a market access enhancer, or barriers to trade? What sustainability concerns do VSS address? The relationship between VSS, trade and sustainable development are among the most pronounced concepts sought-after the realm of green global value chains. The three questions above typically highlights the main components where the influence of VSS over export opportunities can either facilitate market access or become an obstacle

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June 20, 2018

Key takeaway from the Andean Community Sustainable Trade workshop

The 2-day intensive workshop held in Lima, Peru between 5th-6th June 2018, on ‘Sustainable Trade between Peru and the EU‘ was organized at the request of the Andean Community to support mainly the Peruvian SMEs exporters and policy makers to be able to gain deeper knowledge and the potentiality of accessing the lucrative European Sustainable Development’s “Green” market. Details and agenda of the workshop can be found here. There were over 50 participants at the workshop, of which the majority of

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June 5, 2018

UNIDO – SECO Event | 20 June 2018: Good Governance In Developing Modern Quality Infrastructure Systems

To integrate successfully in the global trading system, countries need to comply with international quality requirements for goods and services. Quality Infrastructure (QI) helps domestic and global producers and consumers fulfil their mutual quality goals. It also stimulates industrial development, trade competitiveness, innovation and efficient use of resources, while ensuring protection of the environment. In the framework of UNIDO’s trade capacity-building activities, a side event will be held on setting the good governance foundations for a modern quality infrastructure system for

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