Excessive environmental protectionism

Trade and environment can no longer be seen as two separate issues by the World Trade Organisation (WTO), according to European Commission Vice-President Sir Leon Brittan. Speaking at a high level WTO meeting on trade and the environment in Geneva (March 1999), Sir Leon said sustainable development must be placed at the heart of WTO decision making - including within the Millennium round. Sir Leon said, We need to reconcile the competing demands of economic growth, environmental protection and social development. Pursuing any of these three at the expense of the other two will inevitably lead to an unbalanced approach. If we get the balance wrong in one direction or another, we will end up either with inadequate recognition in trade policy terms of legitimate environmental concerns, or with green protectionism.