The WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures: A Commentary

This book offers an article by article legal commentary on the WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (the SPS Agreement), which allows WTO members to implement barriers to trade on food products in order to protect public health, provided that the measure is based on established international guidelines or backed by scientific evidence.

This book looks at the case law which has grown up around the SPS Agreement, includes an analysis of the recent Biotech (GMOs) panel report, examines the working of the SPS Committee, an important site for transnational governance in food safety, and the relationship between the SPS Agreement and international standards.

• Critically examines the GMO decision - one of the most controversial topics addressed by the WTO so far
• Considers contradictions that arise when compliance with the SPS Agreement appears to fall foul of the WTO's Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement
• Examines the 'Developing Country Dimension' analysing the ability of public health barriers to trade playing a part in aiding development in third world countries