International Economic Law and Policy Blog

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Simon Lester

Could Chinese Integration into the World Trading System Have Led To Democracy, Free Enterprise, and Human Rights?

In recent years, I've seen a number of people trying to make the case that the conventional wisdom on trade with China in the late 1990s was wrong. Here is a version of the argument from James Hohmann of the Washington Post: The Washington consensus at the dawn

China and Japan Agree To Use MPIA for DS601 Dispute

In a post last month after Japan joined the MPIA, I said: Why is Japan making this announcement right now? Hard to say for sure, and there could be a number of things going on, but as Dmitry Grozoubinski pointed out to me, the ongoing panel hearing Japan's

Katherine Tai on Interpreting the Essential Security Exception

Yesterday, Ambassador Katherine Tai gave the Wenger Lecture at American University's Washington College of Law. She took some audience questions afterwards, and I used the opportunity to ask her about the U.S. position on the essential security exception at the WTO. I realized there is only so

Guest Post: Give me a cell and I will feed the world: Synthetic Biology in the UK Precision Breeding Act 2023

This is a guest post from Dr Mariela de Amstalden Last month, the UK Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act [PBA] received royal assent. This act establishes a novel framework in the UK for the release and marketing of, and risk assessments relating to, precision bred plants and animals, including derived

Rethinking World Trade 2023 Event at Georgetown Law

The Center on Inclusive Trade and Development (CITD) at Georgetown Law will be hosting a conference on "Rethinking World Trade 2023," Thursday, April 13th (8:30-5:00 p.m.). Space permitting, people can attend in person, but you can also register for the virtual option. You can register

Katherine Tai on "Traditional Fully Liberalizing Trade Agreements" and Non-Market Policies and Practices

Here's an exchange between Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL) and Ambassador Katherine Tai at a House Ways and Means Committee hearing (2:10:46 of the video) on Friday, March 24: Rep. LaHood: Ambassador Tai, great to have you here and thanks for being with us. As you know,

The Latest from Katherine Tai on WTO Dispute Settlement Reform

Here are some exchanges from a House Ways & Means Committee hearing last week between members of Congress and U.S. Trade Rep. Katherine Tai about the state of WTO dispute settlement reform. Are there any definitive answers in here as to where things are going and when they will

What Is the Economic Purpose of the GATT/WTO? Free Trade/Anti-Protectionism vs. Market Access

In his latest Trade Talks podcast, my friend Chad Bown has covered a topic that he and I have discussed several times: What is the economic purpose of the GATT/WTO? I assume he knew his podcast would generate a reaction from me, and I don't want to

Another Canada - Dairy TRQs Panel

When I say "another" in the title, I mean that in two senses: a second USMCA Canada - Dairy TRQs panel brought by the U.S.; and another one to complement the one recently brought by New Zealand under the CPTPP. The U.S. first written submission in

Guest Post: The EU’s Industrial Strategy and Supply “Resilience”

This is a guest post from Victor Crochet, Trade lawyer and PhD student at Cambridge University In response to the United States of America (“US”) Inflation Reduction Act and regained interest in industrial policies, the European Union (“EU”) recently announced its Green Deal Industrial Plan. The EU’s goal with