UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 28 JANUARY 2022
Researchers from BCU presented new research at the Canadian Animal Law Conference 2021, discussing how international trade law can be used to protect animals.
Dr Iyan Offor presented alongside other leaders in the field Dr Katie Sykes and Mr Saar Cohen-Ronen as part of a discussion on Using International Trade Law to Help Animals.
The panel tackled the issue at three fronts: World Trade Organisation governance; rules within bilateral and regional free trade agreements; and unilateral trade restrictions at the domestic level.
Animals and international trade law
Animals are frequently impacted by international trade law.
The liberalisation of trade, for example, can lead to increases in the importation of animal products that are produced to lower animal welfare standards than those enforced in the importing state.
As a result, domestic animal welfare standards may be undercut by the importation of goods that have been produced via animal exploitation or cruelty.
These effects are compounded by the fact that there is no consistent, government-backed labelling system that informs consumers regarding the animal welfare standards enforced during farming.
Dr Offor said:
The panel also helped to further educate animal law experts on the intricacies of international trade law, allowing them to write and advocate to an audience of trade experts regarding the importance of legal interventions to protect animal welfare.
“This is an area ripe for further research. I will be publishing a monograph on the question of trade in animals and their bodies with Routledge in late 2022/early 2023. I will also continue to work with NGOs to improve advocacy work on free trade agreements and other international trade law issues.”