Although they were not initially designed to address energy issues per se, several World Trade Organization (WTO) rules are relevant and ‘applicable’ when assessing the WTO compatibility of energy-related actions that could have an impact on trade. This paper begins by describing the GATT/WTO rules, that may be relevant in the trade in energy debate. It then discusses some of the energy-related issues that are covered by the ongoing Doha negotiations and in some of the WTO accession agreements before pointing to a few energy-related issues, that are currently debated informally in the WTO and which call for more reflection and analysis. Finally, some of the normative and institutional issues involved in the conceptualization of new or improved rules on energy governance are addressed.
Global Trade and Customs Journal