UNCTAD has provided a briefing on the soon-to-be-launched UN Forum on Sustainability Standards (UNFSS), which will provide a forum for international dialogue and exchange of experiences on voluntary sustainability standards (VSS).
The UNFSS was initiated by UNCTAD in collaboration with FAO, UNEP, UNIDO, and the International Trade Centre.
5 June 2012: The UN Forum on Sustainability Standards (UNFSS) is expected to be launched in mid-2012, according to a briefing by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) held in Geneva, Switzerland, on 5 June 2012. The UNFSS will serve as platform providing information, analysis and capacity-building assistance on voluntary sustainability standards (VSS), with a particular focus on their potential value as tools for developing countries to achieve specific sustainable development goals.
UNFSS was initiated by UNCTAD in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the International Trade Centre. Its objective is to facilitate and strengthen the effective and active participation by developing countries in the international dialogue on VSS to inform decision makers as they formulate strategies to maximize VSS benefits, while reducing their potentially negative impacts on trade and development.
The briefing addressed the potential trade or development obstacles that these standards may create, with a particular emphasis on their impact on small-scale producers and less developed countries. [UNCTAD Webpage on Briefing] [UNFSS Briefing Document] [UNFSS Website]