There are limited measures within the TRIPs agreement to tackle competition issues, but more work on the impact of patents on competition needs to be done. Minimum environmental standards must be implemented. Without such standards, those firms with more sustainable operations may be disadvantaged. Currently, environmental and consumer protection standards adopted by governments may be challenged by other countries under WTO Agreements. This discourages general improvements in standards.
True competition needs elements of consumer protection.
We need compulsory labelling to allow the consumer to make a genuine and informed choice. Although national legislation may attempt to ensure that GM labelling is guaranteed, some countries are trying to use trade rules to over ride these measures. The links between the consumer interest and competition policy must be examined further within the WTO Working Group before recommendations can be made as to the elements of national competition policy. An Enabling Environment For Competition Policy A process of public education will facilitate acceptance of competition policy principles as a central element of national economic policy, both politically and within the national business community. There are important synergies between advocacy, enforcement and general public education activities in the implementation of competition law and policy.