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International environmental standards: Considerations on principles and procedures

  • Environmental Protection
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Intereconomics

Abstract

International environmental law is highly fragmented and national legislation differs widely. General principles for drafting environmental standards would facilitate harmonisation. The article examines the general principles that could be applied at international level.

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References

  1. Cf. UNCTAD, Trade and Development Board: Trends in the field of trade and environment in the framework of international co-operation, Geneva, August 1993, pp. 10 and 27 f.

  2. Cf. Jörn Altmann: Nationales, supranationales und internationales Wirtschaftsrecht, in: WISU, 5/1992, pp. 271–276.

  3. Cf. Ulrich Becker: Der Gestaltungsspielraum der EG-Milgliedstaaten im Spannungsfeld zwischen Umweltschutz und freiem Warenverkehr, Baden-Baden 1991, pp. 35 ff.

  4. Cf. Margareta Kulessa: Free Trade and Protection of the Environment: Is the GATT in Need of Reform?, in: INTERECONOMICS, 4/1992, pp. 165–173; Richard H. Snape: The environment, international trade, and GATT, Monash University/USA, Dept. of Economics, Seminar Paper 8/91; Jörn Altmann: Das Problem des Umweltschutzes im internationalen Handel, in: Hermann Sautter (ed.): Entwicklung und Umwelt, Berlin 1992, pp. 207–244.

  5. Jörn Altmann: Nationales, supranationales und internationales Wirtschaftsrecht, op. cit. in: WISU, 5/1992, pp. 271–276.

  6. Cf. OECD: Trade and Environment, GD(93)99, Paris, June 1993.

  7. Cf. GATT: Note on the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, L/6892/add. 3, Geneva, 2.7. 1992.

  8. Cf. GATT: Trade and Environment, L/6896, Geneva, 18.9.1991.

  9. For an example, see UNCTAD: Trends …, op. cit., and Development Board: Trends in the field of trade and environment in the framework of international co-operation, Geneva, August 1993, pp. 27 f.

  10. On so-called eco-labelling, see GATT: Packaging and labelling requirements, TRE/W/12, Geneva, 14.6. 1993; GATT: Trade effects of new packaging and labelling requirements aimed at protecting the environment, TRE/W/9, Geneva, 10.3. 1993, and a general typology/in GATT: Prescriptions en matière d'étiquetage et d'emballage, TRE/W/3, Geneva, 29.9.1992.

  11. Cf. UNCTAD: Trends …, op. cit. and Development Board: Trends in the field of trade and environment in the framework of international co-operation, Geneva, August 1993, pp. 26 f.

  12. Cf. OECD: Trade, environment and development, DCD/DAC/ENV(93) 1, Paris, 13. 4. 1993.

  13. Cf. International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Commission on Environment: International Trade and the Environment: Principles for Policy and Implementation, Paris 1991.

  14. Cf. OECD: Trade, environment and development, op. cit. DCD/DAC/ENV(93) 1, Paris, 13. 4. 1993. p. 3.

  15. Cf. OECD: Trade, environment and development co-operation, DCD/DAC/ENV(93) 12, Paris, 27. 9. 1993.

  16. Cf. OECD: Environmental policies and industrial competitiveness, Paris 1993, p. 15.

  17. Cf. OECD: Trade, environment and development co-operation, op. cit. DCD/DAC/ENV(93) 12, Paris, 27. 9. 1993. pp. 7 ff.

  18. See inter alia, UNCTAD: Trends…, op.cit., Trade and Development Board: Trends in the field of trade and environment in the framework of international co-operation, Geneva, August 1993, pp. 9, 16ff.; Jürgen Wiemann: Umweltorientierte Handelspolitik: Ein neues Konfliktfeld zwischen Nord und Süd?, Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik, Berlin 1992, p. 9; OECD: Trade and Environment, op. cit.; GD(93)99, Paris, June 1993; OECD: Trade, environment and development co-operation, op. cit.; DCD/DAC/ENV(93) 12, Paris 27.9.1993 GATT: Packaging…, op.cit.; and labelling requirements, TRE/W/12, Geneva, 14. 6. 1993; GATT: Trade effects…, op. cit.; of new packaging and labelling requirements aimed at protecting the environment, TRE/W/9, Geneva, 10. 3. 1993, and a general typology in GATT: Prescriptions en matière d'étiquetage et d'emballage, TRE/W/3, Geneva, 29. 9. 1992. GATT: The packing ordinance and international trade, TRE/W/15, Geneva, 23. 7. 1993.

  19. Cf. OECD: Trade and Environment, op. cit., GD(93)99, Paris, June 1993. pp. 7 f.

  20. Cf. GATT: Trade and the Environment, Geneva, 26. 11. 1993, p. 5.

  21. Exceptions to the general rule, such as UN embargoes, will not be discussed here.

  22. Cf. GATT: Multinational transparency of national environmental regulations likely to have trade effects, TRE/W/7, Geneva, 3.3.1993, and TRE/W/10/Rev. 1, Geneva, 14. 10. 93.

  23. Cf. GATT: Trade and the Environment, op. cit. Geneva, 26. 11. 1993, p. 7.

  24. Cf. GATT: Multinational transparency, op. cit. of national environmental regulations likely to have trade effects, TRE/W/7, Geneva, 3.3.1993, and TRE/W/10/Rev. 1, Geneva, 14. 10. 93.

  25. Cf. Jörn Altmann: Außenwirtschaft für Unternehmen, Stuttgart 1993, pp. 710 ff.

  26. Cf. OECD: Environmental policies …, op. cit., Environmental policies and industrial competitiveness, Paris 1993, p. 15; UNCTAD: Trends …, op. cit., Trade and Development Board: Trends in the field of trade and environment in the framework of international co-operation, Geneva, August 1993, p. 26; Candice Stevens: The OECD Guiding Principles revisited, in: Environmental Law, 23/1993, p. 611.

  27. Cf. UNCTAD: Trends … op cit. Trade and Development Board: Trends in the field of trade and environment in the framework of international co-operation, Geneva, August 1993, pp. 26 f.

  28. Ibid., op. cit. Cf. UNCTAD: Trends …, op. cit. Trade and Development Board: Trends in the field of trade and environment in the framework of international co-operation, Geneva, August 1993, p. 27.

  29. Cf. Candice Stevens, op. cit. The OECD Guiding Principles revisited, in: Environmental Law, 23/1993, p. 608.

  30. Cf. OECD: Trade and Environment, op. cit. GD(93)99, Paris, June 1993. pp. 3 f.

  31. Cf. GATT: Trade provisions contained in multilateral environmental agreements, TRE/W/1/Rev. 1, Geneva, 14. 10. 1993, and TRE/W/18, Geneva, 1. 10. 1993.

  32. Cf. GATT: Trade and the Environment, op. cit. Geneva, 26. 11. 1993, pp. 4 f.

  33. Ibid., Cf. GATT: Trade and the Environment, op. cit., Geneva, 26. 11. 1993, p. 5.

  34. Ibid., Cf. GATT: Trade and the Environment, op. cit. Geneva, 26. 11. 1993. p. 5.

  35. The OECD and GATT agree; see OECD: Trade, environment and development co-operation, op. cit. DCD/DAC/ENV(93) 12, Paris, 27. 9. 1993. p. 7, and GATT: Trade and the Environment, op. cit. Geneva, 26. 11. 1993., p. 5.

  36. Cf. International Chamber of Commerce, op. cit. (ICC), Commission on Environment: International Trade and the Environment: Principles for Policy and Implementation, Paris 1991.

  37. Cf. Candice Stevens, op. cit., The OECD Guiding Principles revisited, in: Environmental Law, 23/1993, pp. 608 ff., and OECD: Environmental policies, op. cit. Environmental policies and industrial competitiveness, Paris 1993, p. 14.

  38. Cf. UNCTAD: Trends … op cit., Trade and Development Board: Trends in the field of trade and environment in the framework of international co-operation, Geneva, August 1993, p. 6.

  39. Cf. Ulrich Becker, op. cit. Der Gestaltungsspielraum der EG-Mitgliedstaaten im Spannungsfeld zwischen Umweltschutz und freiem Warenverkehr, Baden-Baden 1991, pp. 80 ff.

  40. Cf. GATT: Trade and the Environment, op. cit. of national environmental regulations likely to have trade effects, TRE/W/7, Geneva, 3.3. 1993, and TRE/W/10/Rev. 1, Geneva, 14. 10. 93. p. 7.

  41. Cf. OECD: Trade, environment and development co-operation, op. cit. DCD/DAC/ENV(93) 12, Paris, 27. 9. 1993, pp. 3 f.

  42. Cf. OECD: Environmental policies, op. cit., Environmental policies and industrial competitiveness, Paris 1993, p. 8.

  43. Cf. OECD: Trade and Environment, op. cit., GD(93)99, Paris, June 1993. p. 7.

  44. Cf. Candice Stevens, op. cit., The OECD Guiding Principles revisited, in: Environmental Law, 23/1993, p. 616.

  45. Cf. OECD: Environmental policies …, op. cit., Environmental policies and industrial competitiveness, Paris 1993, p. 15, and Jürgen Wiemann, op. cit., Umweltorientierte Handelspolitik: Ein neues Konfliktfeld zwischen Nord und Süd?, Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik, Berlin 1992, pp. 28 ff.

  46. Cf. Candice Stevens, op. cit. The OECD Guiding Principles revisited, in: Environmental Law, 23/1993, p. 616.

  47. Cf. OECD: Trade, environment and development, op. cit., DCD/DAC/ENV (93)1, Paris, 13. 4. 1993. p. 7.

  48. Cf. Jörn Altmann: Außenwirtschaft für Unternehmen, op. cit., Stuttgart 1993, pp. 437 ff.

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  1. Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Technik, Bochum, Germany

    Jörn Altmann

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Altmann, J. International environmental standards: Considerations on principles and procedures. Intereconomics 29, 176–183 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02926436

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