Institute reports on International Trade Law Aspects of Morphine Exports from Afghanistan

The British Institute has completed the Report commissioned by the Senlis Council, the security and development policy group working towards establishing a sustainable system of legal opium-for-morphine production in Afghanistan. With a view to explore future export opportunities for Afghan opium-based products, such as morphine and codeine, the Institute was asked to examine the existing framework of international law in relation to the trade in these narcotic drugs. The Report focuses in particular on the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the rules of the World Trade Organization and the law of the European Community.

Against the backdrop of this legal framework, the Report explores options for promoting exports of Afghan morphine and codeine. It considers several types of intergovernmental agreements as well as private contracts with direct and indirect State participation. With regard to each legal instrument considered, the Report highlights respective advantages and shortcomings in order to enable interested parties to select the most suitable solution.

The Report was prepared by Dr Sergey Ripinsky with inputs from Greg Falkof, Leonie Heaton and Hugo Warner and under the overall supervision of Dr Federico Ortino and Professor Gillian Triggs.

The full Report can be downloaded here.

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