WHAT ARE TRADE RESTRICTIONS?
It is important to note that in the language of trade analysts and trade negotiators, trade restrictions are limited to formal institutional measures which restrict trade – either overtly or in many cases covertly. In particular, this involves government imposed measures which are either deliberately aimed at restricting or distorting trade patterns, or do so inadvertently. These are the restrictions that are the subject of formal international trade negotiations such as the World Trade Organization (WTO). These formal institutional measures affecting trade have traditionally been divided into two categories: tariffs and non-tariff measures (sometimes also called non-tariff barriers). There are, however, some restrictions of a recent nature, which fall into a grey area – such as those that are related to environmentally oriented concerns. They may be regarded as trade impediments rather than formal barriers. Since their impact or potential impact is very similar to more formal measures
