Environment and trade : a guide to WTO jurisprudence /

Can governments impose import restrictions or prohibit the import of certain products to protect the environment? This excellent book, authored by five leading specialists at the Center for International Environmental Law in Geneva, has been designed to help scholars and practitioners to delve through the maze of cases on environment- and health-related questions decided by World Trade Organization (WTO) and General Agreement on Trade and Tariff (GATT) panels. The guide provides an overview of the major topics relevant to the environment and trade linkage. The first chapter deals with the question of whether governments can treat products differently based on environmental considerations, without violating the principle of nondiscrimination that is the cornerstone of the WTO's free trade regime. Other chapters deal with general exception clauses, the "necessity requirement," processes and production methods, extra-territoriality, the relationship between trade rules and environmental agreements, and civil society participation in the WTO's panel hearings. A chronological table of cases is very helpful. The excerpts from 48 cases brought before the WTO's tribunals will prove invaluable for international lawyers, students, and practitioners. This is an indispensable work of reference for legal scholars and practitioners. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. Graduate students, faculty, and practitioners. M. E. Carranza Texas A&M University--Kingsville