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Simon Lester

GSP Plus in Sri Lanka

From a Tamil Star editorial arguing that Sri Lanka should sign on to certain human rights treaties in order get access to preferential tariffs under the EU's GSP program: The regime appears to be suggesting in a communiqué that something in the nature of a conspiracy encompassing a

Tough Talk on China's Currency

The Democratic candidates were talking to the Alliance for American Manufacturing today, and they had some strong words on the Chinese currency issue. From Obama: It’s not just that China is following the path taken by so many other countries before it, and dumping goods into our market while

Insourcing

I wanted to find something to say about Hillary Clinton's recent proposal for tax credits to companies who "insource." It seems possible there is some sort of favoritism for domestic companies in there somewhere. The problem is, I can't figure out what the proposal

A Survey of Foreign Investment Fears

A reader points me to the following article on fears of foreign investment in Canada: In an unprecedented move, the federal government has blocked the $1.3-billion sale of the space technology division of Vancouver-based MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates to a U.S. firm. In a letter this week to

Colombia FTA Links

I don't have anything particularly insightful to say about the Colombia FTA recently submitted to Congress, so I'll just pass along some links (in no particular order): George Will: "Under the Andean Trade Preference Act, passed by a Democratic Congress is 1991, the United States

The Latest on Gambling

From the Antigua Sun this past Monday: The government may be prepared to make a statement on the current status of the Internet gambling dispute with the US as early as today, but early indications are that a proposal for the resolution of the trade dispute received from the US

An Olympic Boycott and the WTO

All the recent talk about a boycott of the Olympics, or the opening ceremonies at least, has me wondering: Is there a WTO violation here? My guess is no, but I have more questions than definite answers. Some questions: -- First, services seems like the most promising place to look,

Trade in Water

From an editorial in the Toronto Star: As aquifers and rivers in the United States run dry, there seems little doubt that the Americans will be turning their thirsty eyes north toward our seemingly plentiful water supply. Indeed, no less an authority than former Alberta premier Peter Lougheed has predicted:

Labor Rules in Trade Agreements: Child Labor

A reader points me to the following from the Progressive Policy Institute: The ILO's 'core' labor standard on child labor is set out in ILO Convention #138 on Minimum Working Age. Dating to 1973, the Convention reads as follows: "The minimum age ... shall not be

The Candidates' Advisers on Trade

One of our readers pointed me to a recent panel discussion at the Institute for Policy Innovation on "Where the Candidates Stand on Trade." It was quite good, I thought. Here are some excerpts, but it's worth skimming through the whole thing, including the Q &