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COMMITTEE ON COMMODITY PROBLEMS |
INTERGOVERNMENTAL GROUP ON MEAT |
SUB-GROUP ON HIDES AND SKINS |
Sixth Session |
Cape Town, Republic of South Africa,
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PROVISIONAL AGENDA |
I. ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS
II. ECONOMIC AND POLICY ISSUES
III. INTERGOVERNMENTAL ACTION ON HIDES AND SKINS
The Sixth Session of the Sub-Group on Hides and Skins will open at Cape Town on 9 November 1998 at 0930 hours. It will be hosted by the Government of the Republic of South Africa, and will coincide with Meet in Africa, a leather convention and trade fair organised by the International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO.
The Session will be followed by the Seventeenth Session of the Intergovernmental Group on Meat, commencing 12 November. The Provisional Timetable is provided at the end of this note.
A. ELECTION OF CHAIRPERSON AND VICE-CHAIRPERSONS
The Sub-Group normally elects a Chairperson and two Vice-Chairpersons. At its Fifth Session the Sub-Group elected Mr F. Ginocchio (Italy) as Chairperson and Messrs F.J. Marroni de Abreu (Brazil) and Khairuddin Md. Tahir (Malaysia) as Vice-Chairpersons.
B. ADOPTION OF AGENDA
The Sub-Group will consider the provisional agenda CCP: ME/HS 98/1 for adoption.
A. CURRENT SITUATION AND SHORT-TERM PROSPECTS
The Sub-Group will review the current market situation and assess short-term prospects for supply, demand and trade of hides and skins and their derived products, with the assistance of Secretariat document CCP: ME/HS 98/2, which will be tabled at the Session. Delegates from producing and consuming countries will be invited to present statements analysing recent developments and the outlook in the hides and skins sector of their respective countries. In addition, a new edition of the World Statistical Compendium for Raw Hides and Skins, Leather and Leather Footwear will be tabled at the Session.
B. ANALYSIS OF MARKET OUTLOOK TO THE YEAR 2005
The Sub-Group will assess longer-term market prospects for hides and skins and leather with the assistance of Secretariat document CCP: ME/HS 98/3 which will provide projections of production, consumption and trade to the year 2005.
C. POLICY DEVELOPMENTS AFFECTING TRADE IN HIDES AND SKINS
As part of its work to assess the impact of policies on trade in hides and skins, the Sub-Group at its Fifth Session recommended that the Secretariat continue to monitor developments in export and import restrictions. Accordingly, the Secretariat will circulate a document (CCP ME/HS 98/4) reviewing the impact of restrictive trade policies on the hides and skins sector in consuming and producing countries. Delegates are invited to present statements analysing the effects of such policies in their respective countries to assist the Sub-Group in understanding the nature and effects of these policies.
D. THE IMPACT ON TRADE OF ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS
In response to the request of the Sub-Group at its Fifth Session, a preliminary assessment of the impact of environmental regulations on trade in hides and skins will be made available as document CCP: ME/HS 98/5. The Sub-Group is invited to review this assessment and to recommend any appropriate follow-up action.
E. THE RAW HIDES AND SKINS AND LEATHER SECTOR IN AFRICA
At its previous sessions, the Sub-Group recognised the importance of improvement of the hides and skins sector in developing countries, particularly in Africa. In order to assist the Sub-Group in its review of the state of the industry in developing countries, a study (CCP: ME/HS 98/6) focusing on selected countries in Africa will be circulated, assessing the main constraints and problems facing the hides and skins and tanning sectors, and actions that may be necessary to overcome these problems.
National and regional associations have an important role in promoting the interests of the industry and in the formulation and implementation of commodity development activities. A document (CCP: ME/HS 98/7) prepared by UNIDO will outline the activities of that organization in promoting the development of national and regional associations.
On the basis of this information, the Sub-Group may wish to define priorities for improving the hides and skins and leather sector in developing countries, particularly those in Africa.
A. COMMODITY DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
The Secretariat will circulate a note (CCP: ME/HS 98/8) which provides details of action taken to date on CFC project activities, including a project proposal on raw hides and skins grading and pricing systems which will be submitted to the Sub-Group for endorsement.
The Sub-Group may wish to review any additional project profiles submitted for its consideration well in advance of its Session. Such proposals should reach the Secretariat by 9 October 1998.
B. PROGRESS ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE CLASSIFICATION
At its Fifth Session, the Sub-Group requested that efforts be made to improve the trade classification and nomenclature system to better reflect the composition of the trade in hides, skins and leather. A note (CCP: ME/HS 98/9) will be circulated outlining proposed revisions to the nomenclature system. The Sub-Group is invited to suggest any modifications to the proposal which may be necessary and, if appropriate, to endorse its submission to the Customs Co-operation Council.
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Monday, 9 November: |
0930 hours: |
Opening of Sub-Group on Hides and Skins |
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1330 hours: |
Items IA, IB, IIA, IIB | |
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Tuesday, 10 November: |
0930 hours: |
Items IIC, IID, IIE, IIIA, IIIB, IVA, IVB |
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Wednesday, 11 November: |
Delegates free to attend "Meet in Africa" seminar | |
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1700 hours: |
IVC |
The Seventeenth Session of the Intergovernmental Group on Meat will commence at 1000 hours on Thursday, 12 November.