What are the trade issues associated with ISO 14000?
The intent of environmental management standards has been to develop a common language for environmental issues, so that businesses, customers, governments and other interested parties can be assured that environmental issues have been taken into account in the activities and products of the organizations that are using the standards. However, TC 207 is also aware that standards can be used to limit trade a fact recognized by the World Trade Organization when it set limits on the use of non-tariff barriers to trade. Environmental impacts are highly regulated in many countries, and there are pressures in some areas to use regulations as well as national and regional standards to exclude goods and services on environmental grounds. On the commercial level, environmentally related expectations and requirements of purchasers can have a significant effect on purchasing decisions and can also affect trade. Environmental labeling and life cycle analysisof products are examples of the potentia
