GATT is the abbreviation for the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, the post-war multilateral framework that progressively lowered trade barriers before the World Trade Organization took over in 1995. Its principles still shape food trade: tariff bindings, non-discrimination between trading partners, and rules that let countries protect food safety without disguised protectionism. The sanitary and phytosanitary disciplines that grew from this system require food safety measures to be science-based and no more trade-restrictive than necessary. Understanding GATT-era principles helps exporters navigate the WTO agreements that now govern international food commerce.