In this piece, the author highlights that in the Eco Oro v. Colombia decision, the criticism of General Agreement on Tariff and Trade (GATT) Article XX has been misplaced. The general exceptions clause could not achieve its intended effects because the tribunal adopted an incorrect approach. The tribunal’s evaluation is contrary to accepted World Trade Organization (WTO) jurisprudence and customary international law. The decision cannot form the basis for blaming the drafting of the provision or the scope of GATT Article XX. It does not define the horizon of WTO style as exceptions, as suggested by many. It is important to prove this hypothesis given that the operation of general exceptions (especially GATT-based) is determined by judicial precedents. It is not advisable to rely upon judicial precedents contrary to accepted legal norms. Furthermore, Canada has been a staunch supporter of GATT Article XX exceptions and has included such in eighteen out of its twenty-four bilateral investment treaties (BITs). Thus it is imperative for Canada (base of claimant Eco Oro), as well as other countries, to know whether the effectiveness of the general exceptions is really at stake in this case.