Journal of Economic Surveys, 2006, 11: 24-25.
practidoingGreen Barriers Trade and its Influences on China's Foreign Trade
Thomas J. Sargent
ABSTRACT
In recent years, green consumption has become a main trend of the consumption in many developed countries and the countries began to make strict standards to restrict the entry of foreign products below their standards of environmental protection.
Key words：Green Barriers; products; Trade
In recent years, green consumption has become a main trend of the consumption in many developed countries and the countries began to make strict standards to restrict the entry of foreign products below their standards of environmental protection. The regulations have many unfavorable influences on the export of developing countries and are generally
known as "Green Barriers to trade". In accordance with the provisions of the Agreement on Green Barriers to Trade of WTO, "Green Barriers to Trade" is defined as the compulsory and arbitrary Green regulations, standards and conformity asssment procedures of the importing countries in the name of the protection of human health and environment that actually form barriers to trade with an aim to protect its home market and domestic products.
1. Analysis on the caus of formation of "Greenduckweed Trade Barriers"
给力 英文Firstly, the worning of ecology is nextimethe major reason for "Green Barriers". With the development of industry and 德拉华大学technology, the economy increas very fast and the human life has been improved. But at the same time, the development of economy is at a cost of the destruction of environment. The environmental problems have aroud public attention and the international society has begun to make laws to protect environment. In June, 1972, the United Nations published the Stockholm Declaration and stresd the importance of the protection of environment. From then on, more and more people conce
rn about the environmental problems. The concept of environment has influenced the life of humankinds in every layer and the developed countries began to make very strict
environmental protection rules under the pressure of public, which forms a barrier to the international trade.
Secondly, the differences between countries in technology, environmental privacystandards and investment directly cau the "Green Trade Barriers". As we know, developed countries surpass the developing countries in science and technology. Even if they make very strict environmental standards, their domestic products can reach the requirements of strict environmental standards while such standards may constitute barriers to products from developing countries. In fact, the standards may become discriminations against products from the developing countries and constitute a means of arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination between country.
Thirdly, the ri of protectionism in some developed countries contributes much to the formation of Green barriers. In modern market economy, competition is more vere than
before. The domestic industries are directly facing competition from the products of other countries, and they will urge their governments to take effective measures to protect them from the foreign products. While becau of the multilateral negotiations of WTO, the tariffs have been greatly cut down and the u of non-tariff measures has also been restricted. Therefore, many developed countries have to resort to some legal restrictions of importation such as Green barriers to protect their home industries, which gives ri to the increa of Green barriers.
2. The main forms of Green barriers trade
In accordance with the related provisions of WTO Agreement on Green Barriers to Trade, the Green barriers are usually in the forms as follows:
2.1Green Tariff
Some developed countries would impo import surtax on products that may cau pollution or harms to the environment. If such measure is abud, it will constitute a Green barrier to trade.
2.2Green Standards
Green standards refer to tho compulsory Green standards provided through legislation. With their superiority in economy and technology, developed countries tend to make higher Green standards with no consideration on the interests of the developing countries. Such high Green standards will in fact constitute a barrier to the products from developing countries which are inferior in technology.
2.3 Package Requirements
Certain developed countries stress too much on the protection of environment and require the products should be packed with materials that will have no harm to the environment. If the products are not packed in this way, they will not be allowed to ll in the developed countries. If such requirements are unnecessarily strict, they will be a barrier to the international trade.
2.4 Sanitary and quarantine inspection system
人工智能培训
英语四六级口语考试On the excu of the protection of the health of human, animals and plants, developed countries tend to u very strict sanitary and quarantine inspection to restrict the importation of the products from the developing countries and protect their domestic industries.
3. Influences of Green barriers on China's foreign trade
China has suffered great loss due to the "Green barriers". In 2002, vegetables from Taizhou were prevented from entering Japan becau of Japane strict inspection and the price was greatly cut down. Also in 2002, the aquatic products from Ningbo were restricted by European Union (EU) becau they could not reach the sanitary standards of EU. Due to Green trade barriers, 60 kinds of Chine agricultural chemists were banned by EU becau they could not reach the Green standards of EU. In accordance with the statistics of United Nations, China hasedc是什么意思 suffered a loss of $7.4 billion in 2002 due to "Green barriers trade". creamcleanrChina's export to EU, Japan, Korea and other countries decreas notably. Generally speaking, agricultural products and foodstuff, textile product
s and mechanical and electronic products are the three main industries which suffer great loss becau of the strict Green barriers. Since the three products constitute the majority of Chine exportation, we can easily draw a conclusion: "Green barriers to trade" has become one of the major obstacles in Chine exportation.
