Religious Regulation Meets International Trade Law: Halal Measures, a Trade Obstacle? Evidence from the SPS and TBT Committees

The article studies the intersection of religious regulation and trade law. Specifically, it provides evidence about whether, when, and how domestic Halal measures are regarded as trade obstacles under World Trade Organization law. We conduct a systematic content analysis of Halal measures as a trade concern in the work of the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and the Technical Barriers to Trade Committees, by analysing notifications of domestic Halal measures and Specific Trade Concerns raised. On this basis, we identify the five most pressing trade concerns relating to Halal measures in International Economic Law.