TRADE AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN THE WTO

Abstract

The GATT does not explicitly refer to the term 'environment'. From a trade perspective, environmentalism looms large on the horizon of new issues and it is viewed with some trepidation. Environmental protection is, in fact, just one of many social policies affecting trade; two other examples are antitrust policy and labour standards. As a subset of the competitiveness policy debate, trade experts see special dangers in protectionism masquerading as environmentalism. It is particularly difficult to challenge policies cloaked in environmental garb because of their popular appeal and the skittishness of politicians and government officials at the prospect of being cast as antienvironmental.