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Introduction

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Greening Trade Remedies

Part of the book series: European Yearbook of International Economic Law ((EYIELMONO,volume 31))

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Abstract

WTO trade remedies are traditionally not seen as instruments to pursue green policy goals, with reference to the highly technical nature of the rules and the focus on economic considerations. Nonetheless, all disciplines of WTO law, including trade remedies, are put in the service of achieving goals of sustainable development. This chapter introduces the central issues of this thesis, an overview of its structure and its social and scientific relevance.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Deputy Director-General Alan Wm. Wolff, The WTO must not continue as it is, 10 December 2020, WTO Newsroom, 10 December 2020, available at https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news20_e/ddgaw_10dec20_e.htm (last accessed 26 June 2023).

  2. 2.

    Ibid.

  3. 3.

    Preamble to the WTO Agreement, first recital.

  4. 4.

    See Agreement on Implementation of Article VI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994, LT/UR/A-1A/3, 15 April 1994; Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, LT/UR/A-1A/9, 15 April 1994; Agreement on Safeguards, LT/UR/A-1A/8, 15 April 1994.

  5. 5.

    See, for instance, Müller et al. (2009), para. I.04.

  6. 6.

    Meléndez-Ortiz (2016), p. 11.

  7. 7.

    See, for instance, Sands and Peel (2018), p. 899; Charnovitz (1993), pp. 31–32; Esty (1994), p. 163, fn. 13; Rauscher (1994), pp. 823–825; Lothe (2001), pp. 197 ff; Pauwelyn (2013), pp. 465 ff.

  8. 8.

    Rauscher (1994).

  9. 9.

    Esty (1994), pp. 156–157. The author argues that punitive measures do not work when the standards of trade partners are low because of lack of information or lack of capacity to adopt environmental protection measures. In such cases, the policy recommendation must be to work together. This might well be different when low standards are a strategic choice, which cannot be seen as legitimate because of specific circumstances including climate, weather, population, economic needs, risk preferences, existing pollution levels, or other local influences. Trade penalties or trade duties may only be allowed in such cases.

  10. 10.

    See GATT Secretariat, International Trade 1990-1991, Vol. 1, GATT Secretariat (Geneva 1992).

  11. 11.

    Appellate Body report, United States – Import Prohibition of Certain Shrimp and Shrimp Products, WT/DS58/AB/R, adopted 6 November 1998, para. 167–169.

  12. 12.

    See, for instance, Rio Declaration, Principle 16.

  13. 13.

    Sands and Peel (2018), p. 894.

  14. 14.

    See, for instance, Rio Declaration, Principle 11.

  15. 15.

    Kunz (2015), pp. 311–323.

  16. 16.

    Matsushita et al. (2015), pp. 215–216.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Brussels, Belgium

    Pieter Van Vaerenbergh

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  1. Pieter Van Vaerenbergh
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Van Vaerenbergh, P. (2023). Introduction. In: Greening Trade Remedies. European Yearbook of International Economic Law(), vol 31. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-38172-0_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-38172-0_1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-38171-3

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