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Simon Lester

Quick Thoughts on the China - Publications/AV Products Panel Report

Some first impressions of the panel report, based on what I've read so far: -- it has some very interesting issues. -- it's very well-written. -- it's very, very long. More later. ADDED: When I say it's well-written, I don't

Pietro Poretti on the GATS and Services Subsidies

Not everyone reads the comments on this blog, so I thought I'd put this very good comment by Pietro Poretti up as a post: I would like to add a few thoughts to the captivating discussion on GATS and financial services bailouts and, more generally, on services subsidies.

GATT Article XX as a Defense to Agreements Other Than the GATT

From today's China - Publications and Audiovisual Products report: 7.743 It is clear that the WTO Agreement includes the GATT 1994, and that the GATT 1994 includes Article XX(a). Nevertheless, China's invocation of Article XX(a) presents complex legal issues. We observe in this

Putting Burdens on Foreign Manufacturers

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

Burley: The Other Cigarette Case

I haven't heard anything new about the Indonesian clove cigarette issue, but here is more on the Canadian measure that could ban U.S. burley tobacco: Continuing his efforts to protect the Commonwealth's tobacco farmers, U.S. Representative Ed Whitfield (KY-01), joined by several members of

Obama: It's Not the Time to Reopen NAFTA

From Reuters: Obama said he still believed side agreements on labor and environmental protections should be incorporated into the core of the agreement. "But I will be honest with you: at a time when the economy has been shrinking drastically and trade has been shrinking around the world, at

More on the Wisconsin Diploma Privilege

Following-up on this post, we may eventually get a decision related to whether Wisconsin's "diploma privilege" violates the dormant commerce clause. From the National Law Journal: A federal appeals court has rekindled a challenge to a Wisconsin rule that allows graduates of the state's

Comments on the U.S. Model BIT: The Investor-State Debate

At this link is a list of submissions made in relation to the review of the U.S. model Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT). Here's a sampling of the comments submitted on the investor-state arbitration mechanism (in no particular order), with the submitting entity indicated. (Not that I think

Subsidies Rules and Financial Services Bailouts

Todd Tucker has an interesting post over at Eyes on Trade, in which he makes the following points: 1. Certain trade experts have been saying that WTO rules do not apply to subsidies to the financial services industry (or, at least, do not provide much discipline). Thus, in their view,

The Impact of Ethanol Tariffs

From a letter sent by Sec. of State Hillary Clinton and USTR Ron Kirk to Senator Chuck Grassley: The Obama Administration is committed to developing our domestic biofuels industry in order to reduce US dependence on oil imports and increase our use of renewable energy sources. There has been no