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Trade as such does not have negative
consequences on the environment. In cases where
fishery resources are not managed in a sustainable
manner, the cause of the negative consequence lies
in the lack of adequate management. It is of course
true that fish caught will come to market and as
such can enter international trade. However, a
number of mechanisms are in place to hinder
international trade in endangered species such as
CITES.
Also the trade rules of WTO address this
issue. Among the most important are umbrella
clauses such as Article 20 of the General Agreement
on Tariffs and Trade which allow countries to take
actions to protect human, animal or plant life or
health, and to conserve exhaustible natural
resources. Beyond the broad principles, specific
agreements on specific subjects also take
environmental concerns into account. Subsidies are
permitted for environmental protection.
Environmental objectives are recognised
specifically in the WTO agreements dealing with
product standards, food safety and intellectual
property protection.
In addition, the system and its rules can help
countries allocate scarce resources more
efficiently and less wastefully. For example,
negotiations have led to reductions in industrial
and agricultural subsidies, which in turn reduce
wasteful over-production. In the case of fisheries,
an important dispute brought to the WTO (an appeal
in a case about shrimp imports and the protection
of sea turtles) has reinforced these principles.
WTO members can, should and do take measures to
protect endangered species and the environment.
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