Written question asked by David Laws (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 6 April 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 8 April 2010. It was answered by Ian Lucas (Labour) on Thursday, 8 April 2010 on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Imports

Question: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills whether measures to limit imports into the UK from countries which have not enacted legislation equivalent to the Climate Change Act 2008 are permissible under Article XX of GATT.

Answer: In accordance with World Trade Organisation (WTO) case law, to comply with Article XX of GATT any such import restriction would need inter alia to:"be primarily aimed at the conservation of exhaustible natural resources;""be the least trade-restrictive method of achieving the desired level of protection of the environment;""take proper account of the different ways in which countries may seek to pursue the same environmental goals and the needs of developing countries;""not constitute a means of unfair discrimination."

Secondary information