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This amicus curiae brief submitted to the WTO Panel argues that Brazil's import ban on retreaded tires is justified under GATT Article XX. The document contends that a life-cycle approach to product analysis reveals that importing retreaded tires increases waste and public health risks in developing countries, and that such measures are supported by multilateral environmental agreements, human rights law, and the international environmental law principle of prevention.

This research paper examines the tension between the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and the human right to water. The authors argue that because the realization of the right to water requires flexible, country-specific regulatory strategies, international trade law should be conceptualized in deference to national regulatory autonomy to prevent trade obligations from undermining the state's ability to ensure universal and affordable access to water.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law examines how international financial institutions, investment treaties, and trade agreements pressure national governments to privatize water services, potentially compromising the human right to water and limiting regulatory flexibility.

This report analyzes the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and its implications for environmental policy makers. It argues that the GATS, which functions as both a trade and investment agreement, may constrain the ability of national and sub-national governments to implement environmental regulations. The authors highlight risks associated with market access obligations, national treatment standards, and proposed disciplines on domestic regulation, while recommending the use of Sustainability Impact Assessments and the introduction of a broader environmental exception clause in the GATS text.

This case study examines Platanera Rio Sixaola, S.A., a small independent banana plantation in Costa Rica founded by Volker Ribniger. Despite becoming the first banana plantation in the world to earn Eco-OK certification from the Rainforest Alliance, the company faced significant financial challenges in 1994, with production costs exceeding revenues. The document details the environmental impacts of traditional banana monoculture, the specific sustainable practices implemented by Platanera Rio Sixaola, and the market pressures exerted by the 'Big Three' multinationals and European Community import quotas.

This research paper compares the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regimes of the United States, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, the European Community, the World Bank, and the EBRD. It analyzes these systems across the entire project lifecycle, from initial screening and scoping to preparation, public review, and final decision-making. Key distinctions are noted in who is responsible for preparing and paying for the assessments, the extent of public participation, and the requirement for post-decision monitoring, with NEPA (US) and the Czech/Slovak laws providing contrasting models of government versus proponent responsibility.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law, prepared for the United Nations Environment Programme, evaluates the effectiveness of trade and positive measures within the Montreal Protocol. It analyzes how these mechanisms—ranging from import/export bans on ozone-depleting substances (ODS) to financial assistance for developing nations—have driven near-universal ratification and compliance to reduce global emissions of controlled substances.

This research paper by Claudia Saladin for the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) analyzes the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (the Public Participation Convention) and argues that its transparency and accountability requirements should apply to export credit agencies (ECAs).

The provided text contains the annexes and protocols of the Cotonou Agreement, detailing the financial, institutional, and administrative frameworks for cooperation between the European Community and the ACP (African, Caribbean, and Pacific) States. It specifies the allocation of the 9th European Development Fund (EDF), the operation of the Investment Facility, rules for project programming and implementation, and the roles of the Centre for the Development of Enterprise (CDE) and the Centre for the Development of Agriculture (CTA).