All human beings have basic needs to live, grow and develop. The goal of the economy is to serve life, which means enable decent development all over the world. Human rights are the basis of human development The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a yardstick to judge whether development follows human principles. Economic development and world trade have to be measured according to this yardstick. When undertaking an economic initiative, the question has to be asked whether human development and the respect for human rights are promoted or obstructed.
Coherence is a criterion of social ethics Human actions are never without contradictions.
Yet, we should strive for human actions with less contradictions. This is why policies of human rights, foreign trade, foreign and social affairs as well as environment and trade etc. are to be interlinked to serve a coherent, credible overall policy. The respect for social minimal standards in national as well as international trade policies is an expression and a precondition for coherent actions. Freedom and justice imply eachother Liberalising world trade increases the dynamics of the world economy. Thus, the value of freedom resumes first place in the economic value order.