Trade in Domestically Prohibited Goods

The report examines the regulatory landscape for domestically prohibited goods (DPGs), categorized into chemicals, pharmaceuticals, consumer products, and hazardous wastes. It details a mix of information exchange mechanisms, voluntary codes, and legally binding treaties, noting that while chemicals are relatively well-covered, significant gaps remain for consumer products and certain pharmaceuticals. The document highlights the challenges faced by developing countries, including lack of technical capacity and the risk of importing hazardous substances that are banned in developed nations.

• Domestically prohibited goods (DPGs) are products banned or severely restricted in an exporting country due to risks to human, animal, or plant health or the environment, yet they may still be exported to other markets.
• Developing countries often lack the technical knowledge and developed import control procedures necessary to manage DPGs, making them vulnerable to the import of hazardous substances.
• Chemicals, including pesticides and fertilisers, are the most comprehensively addressed DPG category through existing instruments and ongoing negotiations, such as the proposed agreement on persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
• The Rotterdam Convention, adopted in September 1998, establishes a legally binding Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure for 22 pesticides and 5 industrial chemicals, requiring that exports only occur with the importer's consent.
• The Montreal Protocol aims to eliminate ozone-depleting substances, controlling 95 chemicals and imposing a general ban on exports of these substances to non-Parties unless they comply with the Protocol's objectives.
• Pharmaceutical exports to developing countries often lack the research information that led to domestic restrictions in developed nations, sometimes resulting in the sale of dangerous drugs over the counter.
• The Basel Convention regulates the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes, with over 100 Parties exercising their right to ban such imports and a specific ban on exports from Annex VII countries (OECD, EC, and Liechtenstein) to non-Annex VII countries.
• There is limited international coverage for consumer products as DPGs, though the Codex Alimentarius provides voluntary food standards that member countries can use to create legislation.
• GATT/WTO mechanisms, including the TBT and SPS Agreements, provide some information on technical regulations and sanitary measures but are not specifically designed to track the export of domestically prohibited goods.

APA

Winqvist, T. (1999). Trade in Domestically Prohibited Goods. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/viet_dpg.pdf

Chicago

Winqvist, Tina. Trade in Domestically Prohibited Goods. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 1999. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/viet_dpg.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Winqvist |first1=Tina |title=Trade in Domestically Prohibited Goods |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=1999 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/viet_dpg.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{winqvist1999trade, author = {Winqvist, Tina}, title = {{Trade in Domestically Prohibited Goods}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {1999}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/viet_dpg.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }