Det föreligger oundvikligen spänningar mellan intresset av att skydda miljön och intresset av varors fria rörlighet på den inre marknaden. Då harmoniserande gemenskapslagstiftning saknas bedöms vanligen frågan huruvida nationella miljöskyddsåtgärder skall tillåtas eller ej efter de restriktioner sådana åtgärder eventuellt kan medföra för den fria varurörligheten. Nationella handelshindrande miljöskyddsåtgärder kan under vissa förutsättningar medges undantag enligt artikel 30 EG- fördraget och/eller Cassis-doktrinen. Då harmoniserande gemenskapsbestämmelser saknas är nationella miljöskyddsåtgärder förenliga med Cassis-doktrinen förutsatt att åtgärderna är tillämpiga utan åtskillnad, proportionella, vilket innebär att det inte får finnas någonalternativ åtgärd genom vilken man på ett lika effektivt sätt kan uppnå samma miljömål, men som inte begränsar den fria varurörligheten i samma utsträckning, och nödvändiga. Miljöåtgärder som inte tillämpas utan åtskillnad kan endast berättigas av intresset av att skydda människors och djurs hälsa och liv samt bevarandet av växtarter, enligt artikel 30 EG-fördraget..

Geographical indications designate products which have a specific geographical origin, which can either be national, regional or local. The subject is complicated since geographical indications arises a large number of questions There are EC regulations which regulate the protection of geographical indications, but since the field has not yet been exhaustively harmonized, the existence of national rules of protection is therefore still possible, which can lead to trade barriers between the member states. Consequently, one problem consists in whether it may be legitimate to restrict the free movement of goods by article 28 in the EC Treaty by referring to national rules of protection and to what extent such measures may be justified by article 30 or by the Cassis doctrine. An additional question consists in how the line between geographical indications and generic terms is to be established appropriately. Further, geographical indications are exposed to improper use by other dishonest commercial operators and therefore the possibilities of protection against unfair competition and misleading are also discussed in the thesis.

The characteristics of free movement is the elimination of obstacles to trade between Member States and thus by such, create free movement within the entire union. Therefore art 34 in the Treaty of Lisabon (FEUF) states that all quantative restrictions on imports and measures of equivalent effect are prohibited. The legal approach to measures having equivalent effect is still unclear and the purpose of this paper is therefore to propose a solution to that particular problem. What can be said when it comes to this rule is that the EU-Court has gone from applying a discrimination test to a market access doctrine.According to the Court´s case law, measures having equivalent effects to quantative restrictions are ?All trading rules enacted by Member States which are capable of hindering, directly or indirectly, actually or potentially, intra-community trade?.  The question of how to apply the test when it comes to a potential hinder to intra-community trade is still unclear.