United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) is one of the five regional commissions of the United Nations. It was set up in 1947 by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to develop economic activity and strengthen economic relations within the UNECE region and between this region and the rest of the world.

UNECE provides a regional forum for governments to develop conventions, norms and standards with the aim of harmonizing action and facilitating exchanges between member States. As such, UNECE provides consumer guarantees of safety and quality, helps protect the environment, facilitates trade and the greater integration of member States at the regional level and also with the global economy.

The UNECE?s main areas of activity are: environment, transport, statistics, sustainable energy, trade, timber and forests, housing and land management, population, and economic cooperation and integration.

UNECE has 56 member States which are located in the European Union, non-EU Western and Eastern Europe, South-East Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and North America.