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 environm ental objectives is developed. Recognising the advantages of further l iberalising world trading conditions and encouraging countries to purs ue national solutions to environmental problems, a new form of interna tional agreement is proposed. They deal with products that are ''like' ' in every way except for the way they are produced. Such agreements w ould simultaneously accelerate progress towards more liberal trading c onditions, improve environmental quality and give economic advantage t o those who pursue vigorous, tightly-targeted domestic environmental p olicies. These ecologically-accelerated trade liberalisation agreement s (EATLAs) are perceived to be of particular interest to nations not w ell placed to enter into a regional free-trade agreement or join a com mon market. The case for a GATT code or protocol on production-process standards and international agreements on the environment is examined .