Thomas Ruddy asked Deputy DG for Trade Peter Balas about the status of the negotiations on Environmental Goods and Services (EGS). In that context US Trade Rep. Susan Schwab had been cited by Reuters  as calling EGS do-able as a separate agreement outside the traditional WTO "Single Undertaking". Balas refused to engage in "speculation", but mentioned that even after the Uruguay Round such separate agreements had been signed as an EGS agreement or an "Agreement on the Environment" would be.

Later Reuters reported that the side-event staged by EU and US trade ministers in Bali with developing countries had given a final news conference which "descended into farce as Brazil and the United States swapped recriminations", and IPS was dismissive too. The most complete documentation of the event was provided by Euractiv. ICTSD hailed the event as "the first-ever meeting at that level to discuss links between the international trade and climate policy regimes".

WTO Secretary-General Pascal Lamy had also given a speech in Bali entitled "Doha could deliver double-win for environment and trade" which is documented on the WTO Website.

In January 2008 the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos will provide another informal opportunity for negotiators.

Report from Meeting on 5th December on EPAs