Second Meeting of the Consultative Forum

Porto, Portugal

12-13 November, 2001

The member countries of the three international non-ferrous metals study groups - the International Copper Study Group , the International Lead and Zinc Study Group and the International Nickel Study Group - convened the second meeting of the Non-Ferrous Metals Consultative Forum on Sustainable Development in Porto (Portugal), November 12-13 2001. Prof. Doutor Eduardo Guimarães de Oliveira Fernandes, Secretary of State for the Economy, Portugal, opened the Forum. The meeting hosted by the Government of Portugal at the Le Meridien Hotel was co-chaired by Alec Estlander, Division Director, Finnish Environment Institute , Finland, and Gerry Miles, Assistant Director Non-Ferrous Metals, Department of Trade and Industry , United Kingdom. Some 75 delegates from 21 countries attended, including 7 representatives from environment, social and other non-governmental organisations as well as those from industry, industry associations and governmental organisations such as the European Commission ,the Common Fund for Commodities and UNCTAD .

The Forum was convened to discuss progress made in each of the Working Groups since the Brussels meeting and chart a path forward. The three Working Groups, one for Production , one for Product Stewardship and one for Science, Research and Development were established with a mandate to bring together existing work, share information, identify gaps and to rapidly initiate activities identified by the Forum for future action. Over 100 participants from governments, industry, industry associations, non-governmental organizations, academia and multilateral institutions are collaborating in the work of the three Groups.

Results of the Forum will be posted to the Web site pending a review of the Chairmen's summary by the Forum Participants. Working Group summaries to the Forum are posted in the "Other Documents" section for each of the three Working Groups.