A Study On Animal Welfare Barrier In International Trade

With the emergence of animal protection organizations, the change of customers'consumption preference and the legislation of animal welfare, animal welfare barrier to trade comes into being. Developed counties try to use animal welfare as an excuse to restrict the import from developing counties. Animal welfare barrier has its legal basis; it is intangible, discriminatory and very effective. Developed countries, WTO, OIE, FAO and some multilateral agreements have items or prescriptions related to animal welfare. The system of animal welfare barrier is composed by standard system, inspection & quarantine system and label system. It restricts the development of international trade, intensifies the imbalance of international trade structure, blocks the freedom of trade and increases international conflicts. It results in loss both for import countries and export countries, and leads to trade transformation. In China, animal welfare is not protected effectively during the process of breeding, transportation and slaughter. In the long term, emergence of animal welfare barrier will compel China to improve animal welfare, and then be helpful for the competitive ability improvement of products. But in the short term, it decreases the export quantity, shrinks the export market scope, increases cost and deteriorates trade condition. It influences the export of livestock product, fishery product, pelage, makeup, service and Chinese traditional medicine. China should pay more attention to animal welfare, constitute law of animal welfare, improve animal welfare, construct anti-barrier system, make use of WTO mechanism, produce diverse products, export to multiplex markets, communicate and cooperate with foreign counties and organizations, and boost the export of Chinese products.