International Economic Law and Policy Blog

Sign in Subscribe

Simon Lester

Damages: Investor-State Versus State-to-State

What's the difference in assessing damages as between investor-state dispute settlement and state-to-state trade disputes? Well, with state-to-state, enforcing a successful complaint often revolves around the fuzzy concept of nullification or impairment, and it's up to the aggrieved state to come

How To Address Other Countries' Protectionism

Economist Don Boudreaux says: The whole world would be made better off – but the Chinese people especially – if Beijing took a more hands-off approach to trade (and every other economic) policy. But Americans would be made worse off if, under the pretext of ‘responding’ to Beijing’s misguided trade

Mexico and the U.S. discuss the NAFTA/WTO Overlap

Following-up on this post, here are some more details, from the April 20, 2009 DSB meeting, on the NAFTA/WTO overlap in the new tuna-dolphin dispute: 77. The representative of the United States said that his country was disappointed that Mexico had chosen to move forward with its

China To Appeal the China - Publications/AV Products Decision

That was quick. From Reuters: "We think it was improper for the WTO not to reject the U.S. request," the spokesman, Yao Jian, told a news conference in Beijing. "Based on the WTO schedule, we are preparing the documents necessary to lodge an appeal."Here&

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 mean

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 respect

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

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