Title: A call for a WTO ministerial decision on trade and human rights
Abstract: KEY MESSAGES∙ International trade law and human rights share a common origin as mutually supportive bodies of law to protect individual freedom. Yet, to a large extent they developed in isolation from each other. As a result, the two regimes are now part of the fragmented landscape of international law. On the one hand, human rights protect individual rights that are essential for international trade, such as rights to freely pursue economic activities or freedom of expression. On the other hand, trade rules may jeopardise the realisation of human rights, especially social rights.∙ In order to avoid negative impacts of this fragmentation, mechanisms for solving conflicts between the two regimes are necessary. We argue that such mechanisms require neither a rigid concept of hierarchy of norms nor new substantive obligations to be imposed on states. Instead, we call for appropriate procedures and coordination. This general procedural approach is illustrated for specific human rights and their relation to international trade law.