Like product


A “like product” describes the particular relationship in international trade law between two goods that are produced by two different trading nations. This concept is the foundation of the two central principles of the World Trade Organisation system as outlined in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1947 : Most Favoured Nation and National Treatment. If two products cannot be differentiated under the WTO system/GATT then the non-discrimination principle stipulates that a WTO trading member shall not discriminate between like products from different trading partners and shall not discriminate between its own and like foreign products. In essence, if two products are found to be ‘like’ then the issue is whether the foreign product is treated less favourable than the domestic product or another foreign product.
The definition of ‘like product’ has given GATT and WTO's appellate body and panels many interpretive difficulties. It has been difficult to apply this concept of ‘like product’ uniformly throughout GATT since contracting parties have never developed a general definition of “like product” for application to all provisions of GATT, therefore likeness should be assessed on a case-by-case basis. The Japan – Custom Duties, Taxes and Labeling Practices on Imported Wines and Alcoholic Beverages panel and appellate body gave an apt metaphor in its final report:
There are many criteria to define ‘likeness’; however, ‘likeness’ must be assessed on a case-by-case basis. One must describe the individual criteria with some care, and after that it is possible to talk about degrees of likeness within the boundaries of those criteria or characteristics. In Japan – Custom Duties, Taxes and Labeling Practices on Imported Wines and Alcoholic Beverages 1987 the panel offered up four criteria :
Other relevant elements:
Excluded criteria: