[1] Utilized in many treaty regimes involving trade and intellectual property,[2][3] it requires equal treatment of foreigners and locals.
[citation needed] Though support for national treatment was expressed in several controversial (and legally non-binding) United Nations General Assembly resolutions, the issue of expropriations is almost universally handled through treaties with other states and contracts with private entities, rather than through reliance upon international custom.
National treatment only applies once a product, service or item of intellectual property has entered the market.
[2] National treatment is a basic principle of GATT/WTO that prohibits discrimination between imported and domestically produced goods with respect to internal taxation or other government regulation.
The aim of this trade rule is to prevent internal taxes or other regulations from being used as a substitute for tariff protection.