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Following parliamentary elections in 2015, in October of the same year the Government announced the creation of a Committee on the Future Economy (CFE). The CFE will build on and update the report by the Economic Strategies Committee of 2010, taking into account new global and domestic developments. The Committee will be chaired by the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) as deputy, and aims to complete its work by end-2016. The CFE will address five areas: (...) (iv) Cities – to recommend strategies to enhance infrastructure and develop sustainable urban spaces; (...)

The Ministry of Economic Development, Planning Trade and Cooperatives also coordinates the work of the Cabinet appointed National Trade Policy Coordinating Committee (NTPCC), which comprises representatives of Ministries and Departments with a bearing on trade policy, as well as representatives of the Private Sector and Civil Society. The NTPCC informs the development of trade policy and adopts positions for trade negotiations with respect to market access for goods and services, government procurement, intellectual property rights, investment, labour market mobility, trade and labour, trade and environment, trade facilitation, dispute settlement, among others. (…)

(...) Restrictions on foreign investment affect some activities including nuclear power and certain postal services (Table 2.3 and Section 4.4). (...)

Although Iceland strongly supports multilateral solutions, it notes that plurilateral agreements can be a powerful tool for trade opening and more liberalization. In many instances, they can provide immediate benefits for trade and growth. Iceland has accordingly engaged in various plurilateral initiatives conducted in the margins of the WTO, including the Information Technology Agreement and the negotiations for an Environmental Goods Agreement. Iceland has also participated in the negotiations on a plurilateral Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) and remains committed to the conclusion of the negotiations. Furthermore, Iceland actively partakes in the plurilateral initiative to prohibit harmful fisheries subsidies. It foresees, as other participants in these initiatives, that they can, once concluded, be integrated into the WTO framework at a later stage.

The Chinese Government attaches great importance to conserving resources, protecting environment and addressing climate change. China is vigorously promoting energy conservation, emission reduction, and pollution prevention and control, through proactively curbing excess and outdated production capacity in certain industries. All these tasks are important component of China's efforts in adjusting industrial structure and transforming its economic development pattern. In particular, tackling severe production overcapacity is our priority in pushing forward the industrial restructuring now and in the years to come.

Panama allows the import of genetically modified products. It does, however, prohibit the production, import, sale and use of products containing certain additives for animal consumption. Panama approved the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity and has set up a National Biosafety Commission, as well as biosafety committees in the areas of health, the environment and agriculture. The authorities are planning to develop more rules in this regard.

(…) Currently, there are 46 technical committees for different economic sectors [17], with over 200 members, including a range of public and private sector representatives (local authorities, industry, trade, consumers, academia and civil society). (…)

[17] Sectors include: general services, food and agriculture, health and safety, information technology, environment, electrical and mechanical engineering, building and construction materials, and chemicals and textiles.

The aim of the Maurice Ile Durable (MID) concept was to establish the foundation for energy self-sufficiency and improve energy security. The MID concept has recently been enlarged to include: energy, environment, education, equity, and employment/economy. A MID Policy Strategy and Action Plan approved by Government in June 2013 comprises four priority programmes: energy; a cleaner, greener, pollution-free Mauritius; a green economy; and an ocean, economy. (…)

The EU and its Member States collectively drive global ‘Aid for trade’ efforts as the world's largest donor accounting for more than a third of global support, to the current tune of €12 billion per year. As a component of Official Development Assistance, EU Aid for Trade is programmed according to beneficiary needs, but with clear priorities, including support for implementing the Trade Facilitation Agreement and an ongoing commitment to prioritize the Least Developed Countries. Moreover, in its recent Communication on a New European Consensus on Development the EU committed itself to further coordinate development cooperation programmes (such as Aid for Trade) with trade policy tools to support sustainable development, including inclusive growth.

Table 2.1 New trade related laws and regulations, 2007-2014
Field: Ozone depleting substances
Instrument/text: Decree No. 2007 327 of 24 April 2007 regulating the importation and use of ozone depleting substances