Labor, Environmental Standards and World Trade Law

Abstract

This paper will distinguish throughout between i) Western Industrialized Countries (WICs), ii) Newly Industrializing Countries (NICs) and Less Developed or Developing Countries (LDCs), and iii) Least Developed Countries (LLDCs). WICs roughly consist of the thirty member states of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).' NICs are characterized by their potential for development and certain progress made in the last thirty to forty years. Typical members of the group of NICs would be China, Taiwan, and various other Southeast Asian countries, as well as Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and other Latin American countries. Countries such as India, Thailand, Malaysia, or South Africa could be considered NICs or LDCs but this distinction will be secondary for the present analysis.' Finally, LLDCs are those that have not made much progress in recent decades and are largely dependent on foreign aid, and/or the exportation of a small number of commodities. Most LLDCs are found in Africa.' Since participation by LLDCs in world trade is minor, the focus of analysis will be on other developing countries, which can potentially supply goods or services to world markets in competition with WICs.