Among the major aims of the World Trade Organization are the protection and the sustainable development of the natural environment of the planet earth. These aims are mentioned in the Marrakesh Agreement, which is responsible for the establishment of the World Trade Organization.
The rules of trade formulated by the World Trade Organization are enacted in a way that the trade barriers that are there throughout the various countries of the world would be relaxed. They also want to bring down the levels of discrimination that persist in the various countries of the world as far as the global trade relations are concerned.
As far as the World Trade Organization is concerned there are no laws that are specifically related to environmental protection as such. The members are open to adopt any trade law that places special emphasis on the matter of environmental protection and development.
The trade rules and the enforcement mechanisms of the World Trade Organization are its extremely important arms as they enable it to fulfill two of its primary objectives – maintenance of environmental protection and development and reduction of trade barriers and discriminatory tactics in the sphere of the business.
The Doha Development Agenda is an important part of the World Trade Organization as well. It has some particular negotiations regarding issues on environment and trade. It also assigns a few tasks to the Trade and Environment Committee. In case a member of the World Trade Organization participates in an integration arrangement on a regional basis and provides better business terms and conditions than what its usual World Trade Organization terms would allow it to do, it is regarded as a deviation from the rules set by the organization.
As per its rules on the assessment of zeroing antidumping, the body of the World Trade Organization responsible for settling disputes had recently decreed that the methods used by the United States of America in this regard were violating the rules that had been laid down by the World Trade Organization.
The rules of the World Trade Organization also encourage reciprocity in the international business arena, as well as binding and enforceable commitments. It also aims at bringing up the levels of transparency in the operations and provides certain “safety valves” that allow the national governments to impose certain limitations on the trade. These are the guiding principles of the World Trade Organization and over the years, the World Trade Organization has been formulating rules that allow it to adhere to its principles.