Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards under WTO’s ambit have gained prominence in recent years. However, due to mostly thin evidence, standards are set at prohibitively high levels, inducing sub-optimal outcomes. One such case is of mango trade between India and USA. The US banned...

As trade quotas have been eliminated under GATT and tariffs have been rationalized under WTO; the focal point of disputes and negotiations in international trade has shifted to non-tariff barriers (NTBs), particularly Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) standards. However, in the absence of any...