Welcome to our pages on WHO FCTC implementation and international trade law. The purpose of these pages is to provide WHO FCTC parties with a basic overview of the relationship between the WHO FCTC and international trade law, and the implications of international trade law for WHO FCTC implementation.

Browse using the links below:

1. What is international trade law and why is it relevant to WHO FCTC implementation?
2. Relevant concepts in international trade law
   • Discrimination (GATT and TBT)
   • Technical regulations and trade-restrictiveness (TBT)
   • Intellectual property, including the protection of trademarks (TRIPS)
   • Health exceptions and recognition of public health in GATT, TBT and TRIPS
3. The WTO dispute settlement process and the TRIPS and TBT committees
4. Examples of the intersection between tobacco control and international trade law

The content in this section is intended to support the needs of parties as identified in COP decisions FCTC/COP4(18), FCTC/COP5(15), FCTC/COP6(18), FCTC/COP6(19), and FCTC/COP7(21).

Note that international trade law is a distinct body of law from international investment law. The same measure may be affected by both international trade law and international investment law. For information about the implications of international investment law for WHO FCTC implementation, go to our international investment pages.

You can also read our latest updates on the WHO FCTC and international trade law.