WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/CTE/COM/8
1 May 2001
(01-2202)
Committee on Trade and Environment Original:  English
REQUEST FOR OBSERVER STATUS BY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
The following communication, dated 18 April 2001, has been received from the
Executive Director of the External Relations and Governing Bodies of the World Health Organization
(WHO) requesting observer status for the WHO in the Committee on Trade and Environment.  The
original letter and the supporting document can be consulted in Office 3025, Centre William Rappard.
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The World Health Organization and the Wo rld Trade Organization have developed an
institutional dialogue over several years which has materialized in the observer status granted toWHO by the Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, the Committee on Technical
Barriers to Trade, and the Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights.
More recently, a dialogue has been established between both Organizations on the
consistency of multilateral health agreements, negotiated under the aegis of WHO and WTO rules.Implementation of guidelines to promote and protect public health requires that all aspects of trade
agreements are considered.  These international standards and protective measures designed to protect
consumers' health are very relevant to the human environment.
In view of the prominence of environmental concerns on the health agenda, WHO wishes to
apply for observer status in the Committee on Trade and Environment in order that a representative
may attend meetings of the Committee when it debate s items of interest to the health sector.  The
World Health Organization would thus be in a better position to meet the requirements of its
Member States in this regard.
I attach the publication Basic Documents , which contains information on the nature of WHO's
work and of its membership (WHO's Constitution, chapters II and III), and a list of Members(Appendix I).  Rule 48 of the Rules of Procedure of the World Health Assembly and Rule 4 of the
Rules of Procedure of the Executive Board contain the provisions for reciprocity.
Thank you for your consideration of this request.
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