This Policy Dialogue, organized by the UNEP-UNCTAD Capacity Building Task Force on Trade, Environment and Development (CBTF), was funded by the European Commission and hosted by the secretariat of the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. In addition, the UNCTAD Trust Fund for the Least Developed Countries provided support to enable experts from selected least developed countries (LDCs) to participate.

The meeting allowed for a constructive dialogue that involved more than 50 policy makers and representatives of certification bodies, intergovernmental organizations, aid agencies, civil society, academics and other stakeholders from developing and developed countries. Experts from 16 developing countries, as well as around 35 representatives from ACP missions in Brussels attended. Officials from the European Commission's Directorate-General (DG) on Agriculture, DG-Environment and DG-Trade, and officials from the ACP secretariat also participated. Other participants included experts from the International Trade Centre (WTO/UNCTAD), OECD, IFOAM, other institutions and environment and development NGOs.

The objectives of the meeting were to explore practical steps to support organic production in developing countries and to improve trading opportunities. The meeting discussed a range of issues, such as trends in organic agricultural markets and opportunities for developing countries; ways to address production and institutional constraints in these countries; government regulations and trading opportunities; the role of organic standards in promoting organic agriculture in developing countries; developing policies and instruments to facilitate conversion to organic production; reducing certification costs while maintaining integrity of organic markets; harmonization and mutual recognition of public and (private) guarantee systems; national and regional initiatives under CBTF and recommendations for future work.