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LEGAL ADVICE & policy design
DISPUTE SETTLEMENT
workshops & training
We advise on technical regulations, standards, and sanitary/phytosanitary measures under WTO and USMCA frameworks. Whether defending regulatory autonomy or challenging trade barriers, we help both governments and businesses navigate complex product requirements.
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Technical regulations, standards, and sanitary/phytosanitary measures are essential tools that governments use to achieve legitimate objectives like consumer safety, public health, and environmental protection. The WTO TBT and SPS Agreements, as well as Chapters 9 and 11 of the USMCA, impose disciplines so that these measures do not create unnecessary obstacles to trade.
Our practice represents both governments implementing regulatory measures and parties affected by them. For governments, we provide guidance on designing WTO-and USMCA-consistent regulations and defending them against challenges. For affected parties, we assist in understanding regulatory requirements and challenging unjustified restrictions.
We have particular expertise in scientific justification requirements, risk assessment obligations, and the relationship between domestic measures and international standards. Our work encompasses transparency obligations, conformity assessment procedures, and regulatory cooperation mechanisms under both WTO and USMCA frameworks.
Our team combines technical expertise with practical experience in TBT and SPS litigation before the WTO and USMCA bodies. Whether defending legitimate technical regulations or challenging unnecessary trade barriers, we provide strategic counsel grounded in international trade law.
