1. Do you think the WTO should be able to prohibit labeling that provides information of potential value to consumers? Why or why not?

2. Should the WTO ensure that the science behind local laws and regulations is sound and not a cover for protectionism? If so, how could it do so?

3. Some people have argued that member nations give up national sovereignty rights by joining the WTO and allowing it to make decisions that are not in the best interest of a particular nation, especially since many WTO meetings are not open to the public. Do you agree with this interpretation and, if so, what could be done to address the situation?

The WTO has ruled that U.S. dolphin-safe tuna labeling violates WTO trade rules. The reasoning is that this voluntary labeling, which communicates to the public that the tuna is not caught using a fishing technique called purse seining, a netting approach that kills many dolphin while netting the lower-swimming tuna, is a technical barrier to trade. Given the labeling, the U.S. public prefers dolphin-safe tuna. The label was created by an Act of Congress to safeguard dolphin, and, again, is voluntary. The plaintiffs in the case, Mexican tuna fishing companies, are free to export their catch to the U.S. The response to the WTO ruling is one of concern, because government regulations and practices related to political and social ends are often implemented through trade-related measures. This goes to the argument that the WTO and other international organizations infringe on national sovereignty.