This pretty much speaks for itself. Note the role of the WTO as an anti-environmental-regulation entity. Public Citizen:
U.S. measures to reduce teenage smoking violate World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, according to a panel ruling released late last week. Indonesia successfully argued that the U.S. Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (FSPTCA) of 2009 violated WTO rules. The ruling opens the door to more teenage tobacco addiction, while further imperiling the legitimacy of a WTO that rules against environmental, health and other national policies 90 percent of the time [pdf].The article contains a nice description of the objections raised by Indonesia, and why they succeeded. Then it broadens the discussion:
This severe blow to consumer protection comes on the heels of two other WTO rulings against America's dolphin-safe tuna and beef country-of-origin labels, and are likely to put a significant damper on the Obama administration's efforts to pass trade deals with South Korea, Colombia and Panama that contain similar anti-consumer rules.Do read, it's fascinating.
WTO; IMF; WB. Which of these big pro-global institutions represents the interests of people, as opposed to the interests of people-with-money? None that I can see.
GP
