Environmental provisions in the WTO and Asian developing country perspective

Abstract

This paper analyses the impact of the SPS and TBT agreements on developing Asian countries with special reference to India. The implementation of these provisions has raised questions of economic protection versus environmental protection. Departure from harmonized international standards, and proliferation of eco-branding in the North, has resulted in market fragmentation for developing country exports. While consumer sovereignty/environmental risk preferences of different nations have to be respected, developing countries need to express their own environmental priorities. Only then would global diversity in environmental endowment and knowledge be accurately reflected in the multilateral trading system and help achieve sustainable development.