Resolution

 

Description: WA General Assembly Resolution #113: The Gem Trading Accord (Category: Free Trade; Strength: Significant) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: The General Assembly:

Aware that many nations and individuals trade in gemstones and profit by that trade;

Recalling that GAR #113, "The Gem Trading Accord," puts in place a complicated regulatory scheme whereby the citizens of member nations must comply with various testing, standardization, and certification rules if they wish to trade in gems;

Summarizing GAR #113's regulatory scheme as follows:

• Two committees are established: the International Gemological Agency (IGA) and the International Gemological Laboratory (IGL);
  
  
• The IGA: (1) establishes standards of gemstone quality in cooperation with the IGL, (2) discusses gem trading issues and arbitrates disputes, (3) ensures that only WA standard quality gems are marketed as such, (4) accredits laboratories to certify gems, and (5) provides experts on gem fraud;
  
  
• All gems must be certified by an IGA accredited laboratory to be lawfully traded, trade in gems not certified by IGA accredited laboratories is outlawed, and trading in non-certified gems is criminalized;
  
  
• The IGL: (1) establishes standards of gemstone quality in cooperation with the IGA, (2) assists IGA accredited laboratories in certifying gems, and (3) assists producers of artificial gems to differentiate their products from natural gems;
  
  
• Member nations are urged to investigate gem fraud, IGA laboratories are direct to "make every effort" to protect jewelry being tested, and any repair work incurred in testing must be detailed to the owner;

Concerned that GAR #113 deceived member nations into believing that regulating economic activity and trade would somehow increase the freedoms of their people; and that, in fact, prohibiting people from freely buying and selling gems has restricted economic liberties and freedoms;

Noting that clause "c" of GAR #113 states that "the IGA will accredit laboratories within member states to test and assess the quality of gems," and that clause "h" bans all trade in gems that are not certified by an IGA accredited laboratory;

Further noting that GAR #113 does not help poor or developing nations establish local gem testing laboratories within their jurisdiction;

Concerned that some member nations lack the advanced infrastructure needed to support a local IGA-accredited gem testing laboratory, thus requiring those nations to incur great expenses to send gems abroad for testing (or to outlaw gem trade altogether);

Concluding that the laboratory testing and accredation requirements stymie free trade by making it more difficult for people in developing countries to enter the gem trade, and by making it easier for people in established nations to create monopolies;

Recognizing that undue regulation of commercial gem trading neither increases economic freedom, nor promotes the free trade of goods;

Observing that nations outside the World Assembly are free to trade gems without complying with GAR #113's onerous regulations, thus creating an international market for gems in which citizens of member nations are (at best) disadvantaged and (at worst) completely unable to participate;

Convinced that disadvantaging or preventing individuals from freely participating in international markets is not a legitimate goal for this Assembly;

Resolved that the gem trade is not so serious an area of international concern as to justify needless meddling by the World Assembly, and that individual member nations are perfectly capable of regulating trade in gems on their own;

Now, therefore, GAR #113 is hereby REPEALED.