ECOLOGICALLY-ACCELERATED TRADE LIBERALIZATION - A SET OF DISCIPLINES FOR ENVIRONMENT AND TRADE AGREEMENTS

A set of disciplines (strict guidelines) for environmental agreements that affect trade objectives and trade agreements that affect environmental objectives is developed. Recognising the advantages of further liberalising world trading conditions and encouraging countries to pursue national solutions to environmental problems, a new form of international agreement is proposed. They deal with products that are ''like'' in every way except for the way they are produced. Such agreements would simultaneously accelerate progress towards more liberal trading conditions, improve environmental quality and give economic advantage to those who pursue vigorous, tightly-targeted domestic environmental policies. These ecologically-accelerated trade liberalisation agreements (EATLAs) are perceived to be of particular interest to nations not well placed to enter into a regional free-trade agreement or join a common market. The case for a GATT code or protocol on production-process standards and international agreements on the environment is examined.