The current international trade regime is flawed, unjust, and in need of redress.
It largely ignores concerns for global economic justice, and fails those most in need of a
strategy to help them move out of extreme poverty; it exacerbates inequalities, both
between states on the world stage and within individual countries, and it creates a
competitive pressure on producers to use the differing legal standards and enforcement
between countries to externalize important environmental, social, human rights and
cultural costs that harm others now, or in the future.
There are two models, which have generally been presented as ideal alternatives
to the present system. The first of these is a move towards eliminating all barriers to
free trade in a self-regulating free-market approach to trade. This is a model that has
had a strong influence on international trade policy over the past thirty years, and has
shaped many features of the current system. The other main model has a strong statecentric
focus that favors unilateral protectionism as a tool to advance individual state
interest, and develop or protect domestic industry. This model has been a strong
influence on trade policy since the development of the modern state.
Both these models, while having their strengths, fall short of addressing the
important concerns of global justice. What is needed is a model that focuses on
regulating and facilitating international trade in the best interests of all participants
