From the Palm Beach Post:
Bipartisan legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate aims to help victims of tainted Chinese drywall hold foreign manufacturers more accountable for their defective products.
The Foreign Manufacturers Legal Accountability Act of 2009 would cut down on the red tape Americans face when they try to sue foreign companies.
Among its stipulations:
* A manufacturer who imports products into the United States would have to have a business representative in at least one state where it does business who could be served on any claims.
* Foreign manufacturers would agree to be held accountable by U.S. courts if sued.
Two questions: Are these rules "conditions" imposed on the import of a product? And, if so, is there a GATT Article I:1 problem?
My instinct is that the answer to the second question is no, but I'm wondering if anyone sees this differently.
