Simon Lester

In recent years, two of the hottest trade issues have been plain packaging of cigarettes, and trade with China. What if we could combine the two? This is from the Economist: Planners have consolidated the once-fragmented [Chinese tobacco] industry. In the decade to 2010, 185 cigarette firms and 1,800

From the Washington Post editorial board: The most powerful non-military tool the United States possesses is exclusion from its banking system. Mr. Obama should make clear that if Russia does not retreat from Ukraine, it will expose itself to this sanction, which could sink its financial system. Russia’s economy,

He is skeptical: What the T.P.P. would do ... is increase the ability of certain corporations to assert control over intellectual property. Again, think drug patents and movie rights. Is this a good thing from a global point of view? Doubtful. The kind of property rights we’re talking

From the WTO: The Chair of the DSB updated WTO members on the process for replacing the Appellate Body member David Unterhalter (South Africa) who ended his second four-year term in December last year. The DSB took note of the communication by the Selection Committee informing WTO members that the

I have a short article in the latest issue of the JIEL (subscribers only), in which I talk about the negotiations on TBT issues in the GATT era, and the implications for the scope of international economic law.  Here's a bit from the conclusion: Whether or not it

This is from Tim Lee of the Washington Post: This spring, the Supreme Court will weigh in on the patentability of software for the first time in a generation. In the 1970s, the high court placed strict rules on software-related patents. But since then, a lower court has effectively overruled

From the NY Times: The regulation of e-cigarettes in Europe is part of a broader overhaul of the region’s tobacco rules, which have been in place since 2001. The rules adopted on Wednesday go further than United States laws. Along with the e-cigarette changes, they will require that the

The Georgetown International Trade Update is this week: http://www.law.georgetown.edu/continuing-legal-education/programs/cle/international-trade-update/agenda/index.cfm As usual, there's a lot on the agenda, but this one intrigues me the most: Luncheon Address: A Conversation with Jan Woznowski on Trade Law, WTO Litigation, and

From Politico: First lady Michelle Obama will unveil a proposal Tuesday that would ban marketing junk food and sodas in schools — an unusually aggressive position for the administration that could draw the ire of school districts, food companies and conservatives. Schools would no longer be able to house vending machines

Regulatory cooperation is a hot topic these days, one that I've mentioned a few times on this blog.  Next week at NYU they will be talking more about it: NYU's Global Administrative Law Project will be hosting a symposium at the end of next week, Feb