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Workshop on Transparency in Trade in Raw Materials,
OECD Conference Centre, Paris
10-11 May 2012

Summary report:

• Summary Report of the Workshop on Regulatory Transparency in Trade in Raw Materials (pdf, 14 pages, 470 KB)
  English | Français

Background document:

• Regulatory Transparency in Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs): Controlling Exports of Tropical Timber, E-Waste and Conflict Diamonds (pdf, 37 pages, 554 KB)
  Robert Wolfe and Shane Baddeley, School of Policy Studies, Queen’s University, Canada

Presentations:

Session 1. Setting the scene: the world market and policy environment for selected non-energy raw materials

• Raphael Kaplinsky, The Open University, UK
  The Impact of China on Global Commodity Prices The Global Reshaping of the Resource Sector  
• Lawrence Meinert, US Geological Survey 
  Mineral Resources Supply & Information with a Focus on Rare Earth Elements
• Hubertus Bardt, Cologne Institute of Economic Research 
  Raw material risks: The manufacturing sector’s perspective

Session 2. The role of export restrictions in the regulation of raw materials trade

• Junichiro Kuroda, METI, Japan 
  Expanding supply chains and required transparency in export restrictions of raw materials
• Barbara Fliess, OECD
  Findings from the OECD Inventory of Measures Restricting the Export of Raw Materials

Session 3. Keynote speech: facilitating trade and supporting markets through regulatory transparency

• Simon Evenett, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland
  Transparency, Information Disclosure, and Trade Policy

Session 4. National regulatory transparency practices

• Gregory Bounds, OECD
  Recommendation of the Council on Regulatory Policy and Governance
• Norchahaya Hashim, Malaysian Timber Industry Board
  Presentation
• Ansoumane Bérété, Ministry of Commerce, Republic of Guinea 
  Expériences de la République de Guinée (en français - in French)

Session 5. Promoting transparency – multilateral approaches

• Jane Korinek and Iza Lejarraga, OECD
  Transparency in Trade Agreements: Lessons for Export Restrictions
• Robert Wolfe, Queen’s University, Canada 
  Regulatory Transparency in MEAs: Controlling exports of tropical timber, ewaste, and conflict diamonds
• Paul White, International Lead and Zinc Study Group 
  Transparency Activities of the International Metal Study Groups

Synthesis of the day’s discussion 

• Signe Ratso, European Commission
  Synthesis of the discussion

Supply of non-energy raw materials has become an issue for many countries. Government measures limiting the export of these materials have contributed to recent price increases.

This workshop was dedicated to issues of transparency of such export measures. Lack of transparency can in itself act as a trade barrier, making exporting and importing more difficult and having negative consequences for the industries involved and for the development of countries which could often greatly benefit from a strong export sector.

The workshop was conceived as a platform for governments from exporting and importing countries and other stakeholders affected by trade policy developments in the non-energy raw materials sector to assess the current situation of transparency of export measures and better understand the economic consequences.

The objective of the workshop was to increase awareness of the benefits of improved transparency practices and practical options for making progress in this regard. Toward that goal, OECD is constructing an inventory providing detailed information about different types of measures with which countries around the world regulate the export of industrial raw materials such as minerals metals and wood. This inventory is the largest collection of such information in one place.

• OECD Workshop on Raw Materials, 30 October 2009
  A discussion of the economic impacts and policy objectives of export restrictions on raw materials

• Export restrictions on raw materials
  OECD publications and analysis of the economic impact of export restrictions on raw materials