Some companies have been penalized for breaches.
Complying with them all is impossible, so officials routinely extort bribes for breaches.
Look at Brazil's measures of 2000, including the threat of jail for breaches of fiscal rules.
Potential fines for breaches have increased from £5,000 to £500,000.
Boycotts of sporting events for breaches of human rights or international law are not unheard of.
An Environment Agency spokeswoman said the same applied for breaches of the Water Resources Act.
The £38m fine is the second punishment Barclays has received for breaches of client asset rules.
In the US, Monsanto has sued a number of farmers for breaches of such contracts.
It has also changed several laws, including increasing penalties for breaches of intervention orders.
As a result, critics say journalists and whistle-blowers could face up to 25 years' imprisonment for breaches.
Lecturing Russia for breaches of human rights in Chechnya or for suppressing free speech goes down badly.
