Guest guest Posted September 30, 2000 Report Share Posted September 30, 2000 Free trade in misery Global policies let countries maintain systems of animal cruelty By Paul Kail August 9, 2000 The aim of the World Trade Organization (WTO) is to force countries to remove trade barriers, regardless of the environmental, social or moral consequences. Membership is voluntary; however, following a 1996 agreement, the WTO has worked closely with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. These organizations have the power to give or withhold financial assistance to a country, based on the extent to which it has deregulated its economy and complied with WTO rules. Because the WTO operates in a moral vacuum, it does not recognize a trade restriction based on ethical grounds as legitimate. Countless laws to reduce suffering and preserve endangered species have been abandoned as a direct result of the WTO. It is inevitable that animal-welfare legislation develops piecemeal. Some countries, such as Sweden, are typically at the forefront, while others, such as Japan and Mexico, are still a few decades behind. For this reason it is critical that countries with high animal-welfare standards be able to limit imports of goods produced in countries that have lower ethical standards. Unfortunately, WTO rules make this impossible. In some circumstances, it can even be illegal to inform consumers how the different products were produced, as this is regarded as a form of discrimination. More: http://www.praguepost.cz/opin080900g.html -- Free email services provided by http://www.goodkarmacafe.com Powered by Outblaze Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.