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Simon Lester

Some Interesting Reporting on U.S. Proposals for WTO DS Reform

Geneva-based reporter Ravi Kanth has two detailed pieces (here and here) on U.S. proposals for WTO dispute settlement reform, and the reaction of other Members to those proposals. It's difficult to analyze all of this without seeing the actual U.S. proposals, but I'm going

Ro Khanna Wants To Reconsider WTO Rules Relating To China, Still Worried about Trade Deficit

This is something from a recent speech by Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA): The US needs to work with our allies to pursue a broad WTO dispute case against the PRC. One hurdle is that the current Dispute Settlement process cannot litigate in key China-related areas that are not adequately covered

Katherine Tai on Protectionism, Free Trade, and Industrial Policy

At a recent press conference, U.S. Trade Rep. Katherine Tai offered a few thoughts on U.S. industrial policy. First, in response to a question about how she would evaluate the criticism that the Inflation Reduction Act constitutes protectionism, Tai said the following (39:35 of the video): I

For Better or Worse, We Have Another Chance to Evaluate Industrial Policy

Over on the Baker Institute website, I have a piece entitled "Will the Biden Administration’s Industrial Policy Experiment Succeed?" You won't be surprised to hear that I am skeptical that the administration's industrial policy moves will be good for the U.S. economy

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,