The SPS Agreement and the related WTO dispute settlement mechanism are an important first step in strengthening the global trade architecture, bringing in greater transparency and orderly conditions to world food trade. However, implementation of the new trade rules has turned out to be a more...

The SPS Agreement and the related WTO dispute settlement mechanism are an important first step in strengthening the global trade architecture, bringing in greater transparency and orderly conditions to world food trade. However, implementation of the new trade rules has turned out to be a more...

Agricultural and wildlife trade is subject to sudden, disruptive import restrictions arising fromconcerns over sanitary and phytosanitary safety and the conservation of natural resources.These restrictions can create significant international price differences that encourage thesmuggling of...

Agricultural and wildlife trade is subject to sudden, disruptive import restrictions arising from concerns over sanitary and phytosanitary safety and the conservation of natural resources. These restrictions can create significant international price differences that encourage the smuggling of...

Since the mid-1990s, there have been three occasions on which Japan has impeded imports of vegetables from China. On each occasion the instruments used by Japan and the response by China have been different. One the first two occasions, China was not a member of the WTO but now that she is, the...

The average international trade transaction is subject to numerous procedural and documentation requirements, which add to the costs of doing business as an importer or exporter and also use up scarce government resources. While these requirements can be necessary to fulfil policy objectives,...

The role of international trade was irreplaceable at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, especially the trade in medical supplies and food for all affected countries. Trade as a part of this crisis, certainly should not be an element of further countries' closing and new trade barriers...