Brad:
The problem with trade agreements such as GATT and their implementing
bodies such as WTO, is that their rulings can supersede the laws of member
nations. In that event, there are 3 choices for a WTO member nation:
1) Comply with the WTO ruling. Superseding a national law then becomes a
sovereignty issue.
2) Refuse to comply with the WTO ruling. In this case, the WTO can impose
monetary penalties on the member nation for non-compliance. Paying
"tribute" in the form of penalties is a sovereignty issue.
3) Give a 6 month notice to withdraw from the WTO. The nation must choose
between trade on WTO's terms, or preserving its sovereignty.
So, there is a way out (choice #3). But there has been no interest on the
part of any US administration in exercising this option. I don't expect
there ever will be, either.
Best regards,
Ivan Baggett
Bagotronix Inc.
website: www.bagotronix.com
Brad Velander wrote:
Ivan,
In your list of improvements to the world you left out the most
important detail that makes this legislation so totally ridiculous and
ineffective to it's core. Electronics products account for less than 0.5% of
world lead usage.
So the EU is restricting one of the smallest portions of lead usage
they could probably find while doing nothing or little about the largest
sources of lead in the environment, consumer and car batteries. At the very
least there should be a significant refundable consumer deposit on batteries of
all types to ensure that people are sufficiently motivated to return spent
batteries for proper disposal/recycling. Yeah it is not perfect or desirable
but at least it would probably have the greatest single impact on lead getting
into the free environment these days.
On your issue of the US giving away sovereignty. The answer is simple,
stay home! Imparting your regulations or lack thereof on others, is that not
infringing on their sovereignty? Be fair, you can neither impart your beliefs
on them nor they impart their beliefs on you without infringing on other's but
that is not sovereignty. Sovereignty is only within your own borders, outside
of your borders you have no sovereignty. That is the key to the whole
definition of sovereign, it is only within the realm of your own borders. If
you want to go international you have to play by other's rules or rules that
you have agreed to with all the other players, just as you expect them to play
by your rules if they want to come and play in your sovereign territory. The
lack of agreement between international parties doesn't co-opt any of your
sovereignty.
Sincerely,
Brad Velander
Senior PCB Designer
Northern Airborne Technology
1925 Kirschner Rd.,
Kelowna, BC, V1Y 4N7.
tel (250) 763-2329 ext. 225
fax (250) 762-3374
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