Simon Lester

Now that the Commission has offered its reform proposal for ISDS in the TTIP, the politics of CETA get more interesting with regard to ISDS.  As I understand it, there is still some question about whether CETA needs only European parliamentary approval, or EU member state parliamentary approval as well,

This is from EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom, in the context of discussing the newly propsed TTIP ISDS investment court: “We want to establish a new system built around the elements that make citizens trust domestic or international courts”, said EU trade commissioner, Cecilia Malmstrom. Malmstrom, who is steering EU

Last year, I commented on a speech by U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman on the "values" driving U.S. trade policy.  With that post, I probably got myself taken off Froman's holiday card list, so I figure I can't make it any worse

Here are some details of an upcoming conference in Cancun: This year is the 20th anniversary of the WTO, and a round of conferences entitled 'Latin America & the Future of International Trade Law' will celebrate such an important event on December 2nd to 4th, 2015, in Cancun,

It is here. Explanation is here.  Here are a couple quick thoughts. First off, Article 2.1 states: The provisions of this section shall not affect the right of the Parties to regulate within their territories through measures necessary to achieve legitimate policy objectives, such as the protection of public

The "Notification of U.S. preferential treatment to services and services suppliers of least-developed countries" is here.  The document starts with this explanation: In accordance with the decision by Ministers at the WTO’s Eighth Ministerial Conference on Preferential Treatment to Services and Service Suppliers of Least-

Earlier this month, I posted about a short Bridges piece I did on transparency in trade negotiations.  If you're into that issue, here's more for you: The Interest Group on International Economic Law of the European Society of International Law and the Italian Branch of the

Law profs Bruce Ackerman and David Golove suggest here that it would be "lawless" for a future U.S. President to repudiate the "Congressionally authorized" Iran deal (as Senator Rubio indicated he would do if elected President): There has already been too much lawlessness from the

Everyone reading this blog probably knows that the local content requirements in Ontario's feed-in tariff program have been found to violate WTO rules.  Will the removal of those measures lead to additional trade restrictions?  This is from a decision by the Canadian International Trade Tribunal on injury

If you're eagerly awaiting the CAFTA panel report in the Guatemala labor case, as I am, you will have to wait a bit longer, Inside US Trade reports: The initial, confidential ruling by an arbitral panel on U.S. claims that Guatemala violated the labor chapter of the