Trading Green: Analysing the EU’s Anti-Deforestation Measures in a WTO Framework

 Akshay Pathak and Neha Kumari Introduction The World Trade Organization (WTO) was established with the primary aim of engendering an equitable and unbiased multilateral trading system. Evidently, the principles of most favoured nation, national treatment, and elimination of quantitative restrictions reflect this commitment of WTO within various agreements. The WTO is dedicated to fostering just...

Plain Packaging: When trade and non-trade concerns overlap

In 2012, Australia became the first country in the world to implement a law requiring tobacco products to be packaged in generic and standardised packets. [1] This meant that tobacco companies could no longer display designs, logos, colours and other trademarks on the packaging of their products. The idea behind this measure is that it reduces...

Peru- Agricultural Products Dispute: Can FTAs Modify WTO Law?

Background: In 2001, Peru introduced the Price Range System (“PRS”) through which it imposed additional duties on agricultural products. It signed multiple Free Trade Agreements (“FTAs”) with its trading partners. These FTAs contained a clause allowing Peru to maintain its PRS. One such FTA was also signed between Peru and Guatemala. This FTA was ratified...

Pros and Cons of India joining the GPA

The Agreement on Government Procurement (‘GPA’) is a plurilateral agreement at the WTO. This implies that all WTO members at their option can become parties to the Agreement (https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/gproc_e/gpa_1994_e.htm). The GPA has 45 WTO members and 30 observers in the GPA Committee as observers. 10 of these members are in the process of acceding to...