A summary of the issues of the international trade and environmental protection: in

today's world, trade and environment issues specific gradually evolved into the
question of the relationship between the trading system and environmental measures,
how to achieve the coordination of environmental protection and free trade, the trade
environment measures affects neither environmental protection without hindering free
trade, has long been the world and the important issues of concern and research Try
this article from the conflict in the international trade and environmental protection,
the real avenues for coordination to be explored on this issue.

A conflict of international trade and environmental protection for economic

development to be pursued to maximize the freedom of trade, to restrict or prohibit
certain international trade for the environmental goals of sustainable development,
there is a conflict between the two. Alexander Keith said: "in the relationship between
international trade and environmental protection there are two opposing trends: on the
one hand to the Environmental Protection desire to control certain international trade,
on the other hand, in order to free trade cancel all trade barriers wishes. "Therefore,
the conflict of international trade and environmental protection performance of the
following two specific forms: (a) international trade to environmental protection
restrictions affecting the contemporary world countries are seeking the freedom of
trade, to reduce a variety of barriers to trade to improve the level of human life and
the goal of sustainable development the best use of the world's resources. Trade
liberalization can promote the development of the world economy, trade liberalization
should strive to clear away all kinds of trade barriers. But the laissez-faire trade
liberalization will result in over-exploitation of ecological resources and the
ecological environment suffered serious damage. (B) environmental constraints on
international trade precisely because of the freedom of trade has brought new
environmental problems, so the entire international community are trying to consider
the environment in trade, to coordinate the relationship between good free trade and
environmental protection. Specifically, in the trade rules to consider environmental

factors associated with environment-related trade, environmental rules, regulations,

restrictions, or even prohibit certain international trade. In this way, the environmental
protection measures to achieve its environmental protection purposes, to international
trade necessarily constitute obstacles, the main obstacles is mainly manifested in the
following aspects: 1. Environmental protection legal obstacles to international trade
first trade rules of international law relating to the environment. Such a treaty for the
purpose of promoting trade liberalization, in specified trade rules while taking into
account environmental factors associated with. The most typical is Article 20 of the
GATT. Followed by the international law of trade-related environmental rules. Such
rules to protect the environment for the purpose of trade-related provisions of the
impact on the environment rules. 2. Environmental Protection economic barriers to
the first set of international trade, are subject to environmental import surcharge.
Importing countries to protect the environment as a reason, the export of a product, in
addition to the collection of general import tariffs, additional levy taxes. Second,
green barriers. It is importing countries to protect domestic environment, the health
and safety of people, animals and plants and the various measures taken for the
purpose of these measures developed in accordance with the terms of the relevant
provisions of the WTO, GATT became restricted to a certain extent and binding
international hidden trade barriers. Third, environmental trade sanctions. That a State
against another State in violation of international treaties and take the mandatory trade
sanctions. 3. National Environmental Protection administrative barriers to
international trade by countries to protect their own environment will develop a series
of environmental control measures, environmental regulation refers to the trade
restrictive measures taken for environmental protection purposes. Therefore,
international organizations and individual countries to develop environmental
regulations and trade rules constitute the legal basis and foundation of environmental
regulation. With the increase in environmental trade policy, environmental control
measures is becoming more diverse, the consequent trade issues are also increasing,
and poses a challenge to the development of international trade.

Second, the purpose of environmental protection and trade liberalization of

international trade and environmental protection essence of the conflict (a) the
interests of the conflict can not be reached at the same time is a conflict on the surface
of a deeper conflict is a conflict between the North and the South; North and South
The conflict caused by the difference between the level of economic development,
environmental protection level; conflict of developed and developing countries on the
economic benefits, environmental benefits. Despite the excessive exploitation of
natural resources may destroy the environment, but these countries are forced by
poverty is difficult to give up in order to protect the natural environment and export
earnings. In addition, their awareness of environmental protection is still very weak,
very sound environmental regulations, environmental standards is relatively low, and
unable to pay the high cost of improving environmental conditions. Developed
countries have completed the process of industrialization, environmental pollution
was aggravated public environmental awareness, forcing these countries to gradually
improve its environmental regulations in the production, processing, transportation
and marketing of all aspects are related to environmental standards and environmental
measures . Therefore, the conflict between environment and trade is a different level
of economic development, conflict of interest on the basis of different environmental
awareness. (b) the international rules of conflict on the environment and trade
disputes is increasingly becoming the focus of the case as many species is
unprecedented. There is also an important reason, is to play the rules of war, citing a
variety of rules for the parties to the controversy. Of fuzzy rules, rules uncoordinated
is an important reason to cause conflicts. Developing and developed countries each
different from those of environmental standards (relatively strict environmental
standards in developed countries), it is difficult to coordinate, resulting in developed
Wai and developing countries in the pursuit of environmental protection and the
pursuit of free trade on the contradictions become more acute and complex.
Complexity of the problem lies in the protection of the environment is the trend of the

international community, environmental measures into the objectives and rules of the
international trade of the week, this behavior seems to represent the historical trend of
development of developed countries, but developed countries at the same time and
exceptions to defend themselves in the use of various rules, the principle of the rule,
its fuzzy invoked to provide convenience. This requires the international community
to consider the overall situation, considering the aspects of the problem, with a view
to the harmonization of rules, reduce disputes arising due to lack of coordination
rules, strengthening the rule of operability and clarity.

Finally, international trade and environmental protection co-ordination of the conflict

(a) international trade and environmental protection conflict legal harmonization
ways: 1. Constantly improve the international law First, given the international
obligations of the developed countries more. 2. Coordinated development of national
and international laws, in the coordination of environmental and trade relations, in
addition to the improvement of international law. 3. Improve the dispute settlement
mechanism, environment and trade conflict stems from the conflict of interest of
developed and developing countries, and this the conflict short period of time will not
disappear. (b) International trade and economic co-ordination of environmental
protection conflict ways: First, the majority of developing countries based on the
country, to strengthen the unity and cooperation between each other, science and
technology as the driving force, the application of cleaner production technologies,
resource-saving technologies, to coordinate the relationship between economic
development and environmental protection. Second, change the old, unequal
international economic order and establish a new and equitable international
economic order. Finally, respect for their respective national conditions, the difference
between countries in different economic development, the conflict between
environmental protection and free trade in many cases, by its very nature is between
developed and developing conflict of interest relationship. (c) the coordination of
international trade and environmental protection conflicting ideas ways: Sustainable

development is the guiding ideology of the solution to the conflict, environmental

protection and free trade are factor in the development, under the old concept of
development, environmental protection and free trade produced conflicts.