The World Trade Organisation (WTO): ‘In all there have been eight GATT rounds, including the Uruguay
Round held from 1986-93. It was during Uruguay Round that the new trade regulatory organisation–the World Trade Organisation was set up. The WTO contains an improved version of the original GATT rules–GATT 1994, which restate and strengthen the original GATT rules. The trade agreements in this Round detailed out diverse commitments of Members as regards to agriculture, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, textiles and clothing, technical barriers to trade, trade related investment measures (TRIMs), anti- dumping, customs valuation, pre-shipment inspections, rules of origin , import licensing procedures, subsidies and countervailing measures, safeguards, trade in services (GATS), trade related intellectual property (TRIPs), dispute settlement and trade policy review mechanism (TPRM). Optional commitments have been spelled out in the areas of public procurement, trade in civil aircraft, international dairy products and international bovine and meat.
The WTO General Council has established a new committee on Trade and Environment. The committee’s terms of reference covers a large number of areas of the multilateral trading system i.e. goods, services and intellectual property. While fulfilling its responsibilities, the committee performs both analytical and perscriptive functions:
(i) To identify the relationship between trade measures and environmental measures
(ii) To promote sustainable development and
(iii) To make appropriate recommendations on whether any modifications of the multilateral trading system are needed.
The WTO has virtually assumed a pivotal role by the range and depth of its proposed operations. However, the WTO has to work within following two parameters:
(i) The competence of WTO for the coordination of the policy is limited to trade only.
(ii) If problems of policy coordination to protect the environment and promote sustainable development are identified through the committee they are to be resolved in a manner that upholds and safeguards the principles of the multilateral trading system. The terms of reference of WTO Committee specifically try to address some of the problems which have surfaced in the area of trade and environment.
The World Trade Organisation (WTO): ‘In all there have been eight GATT rounds, including the Uruguay
Round held from 1986-93. It was during Uruguay Round that the new trade regulatory organisation–the World Trade Organisation was set up. The WTO contains an improved version of the original GATT rules–GATT 1994, which restate and strengthen the original GATT rules. The trade agreements in this Round detailed out diverse commitments of Members as regards to agriculture, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, textiles and clothing, technical barriers to trade, trade related investment measures (TRIMs), anti- dumping, customs valuation, pre-shipment inspections, rules of origin , import licensing procedures, subsidies and countervailing measures, safeguards, trade in services (GATS), trade related intellectual property (TRIPs), dispute settlement and trade policy review mechanism (TPRM). Optional commitments have been spelled out in the areas of public procurement, trade in civil aircraft, international dairy products and international bovine and meat.
The WTO General Council has established a new committee on Trade and Environment. The committee’s terms of reference covers a large number of areas of the multilateral trading system i.e. goods, services and intellectual property. While fulfilling its responsibilities, the committee performs both analytical and perscriptive functions:
(i) To identify the relationship between trade measures and environmental measures
(ii) To promote sustainable development and
(iii) To make appropriate recommendations on whether any modifications of the multilateral trading system are needed.
The WTO has virtually assumed a pivotal role by the range and depth of its proposed operations. However, the WTO has to work within following two parameters:
(i) The competence of WTO for the coordination of the policy is limited to trade only.
(ii) If problems of policy coordination to protect the environment and promote sustainable development are identified through the committee they are to be resolved in a manner that upholds and safeguards the principles of the multilateral trading system. The terms of reference of WTO Committee specifically try to address some of the problems which have surfaced in the area of trade and environment.