The extent to which economic sanctions are compatible with the principle of liberalizing international trade

Abstract

This study discusses one of the most significant challenges facing the international trade system: the resort of some active countries in the international community and members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to imposing economic sanctions on a member of the same organization, either within the framework of the United Nations as a result of a violation of international law, or through unilateral action for political or commercial reasons in accordance with domestic law, without referring to the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body, which has the legal jurisdiction to assess the behavior of states in international trade. The study concludes that economic sanctions undermine the notion of international trade legitimacy, especially if a WTO member imposes economic sanctions to achieve political objectives through unilateral action.