International Economic Law and Policy Blog

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Simon Lester

Antigua Did It. Why Not Fiji?

In the Gambling case, Antigua has done a good job of demonstrating that a small country can have some success in bringing a WTO complaint. Maybe Fiji will follow their example: The chairman of Fiji’s Kava Council Ratu Josateki Nawalowalo, says he will continue to pursue a meeting with

Appellate Body Members Appointed

According to a WTO press release (as also mentioned by Jalal Alavi in the comments), the four new Appellate Body Members have been appointed: The WTO Dispute Settlement Body appointed today (27 November 2007) the following four new members to the seven-member Appellate Body: Ms Lilia R. Bautista of

Trade Versus Environment: Biofuels Again

A New Zealand perspective: Biofuel companies say it would make more sense for them to build plants in subsidised US cornfields than in New Zealand to meet new biofuel sales quotas. They're pressing for protection from US-made competitors who they say could crowd out the market, as

Sweatshops: "One of the Trickiest Issues in International Trade"

That is what Dani Rodrik calls them. His post is commenting on a NY Times article describing how a NY utility company and government agency recently became aware of the conditions under which their manhole covers were made: Seemingly impervious to the heat from the metal, the workers at one

The Trade Impact of the Writers' Strike

Tyler Cowen quotes a couple articles suggesting that the U.S. writers' strike could, in theory, benefit Canadian entertainment industries, in two ways. First, it could help Canadian shows gain viewers in the home market, as there is suddenly less U.S. competition. And second, it could help Canadians

More Complaints About Indian Sugar Subsidies

A while back I mentioned that Bangladesh was accusing India of subsidizing sugar and "dumping" it abroad. Now others are asking questions as well: Leading global sugar producers have joined hands and approached the WTO, asking the multilateral body to seek details from India on subsidy to exporters

Progress on the Appellate Body Appointments

From one news reports: Taiwan may back away from its boycott of the placing of a Chinese judge on the World Trade Organization's top legal panel if the island is assured of fair treatment, a Taiwanese official said Sunday. And another: Taiwan on Sunday set a condition for

What Happens in Vegas ... Doesn't Happen in Massachusetts

While Nevada contemplates legalizing intra-state online gambling for its residents, Massachusetts contemplates banning online gambling entirely for its residents: Even as Governor Deval Patrick seeks to license three resort casinos in Massachusetts, he hopes to clamp down on the explosion in Internet gambling by making it illegal for state

Trade in Everything: International Shopping

The Boston Globe reports: ... America is one big discount bin, thanks to a weak dollar that slid this week to another record low against the euro. As a result, tourists are spending thousands to travel to the United States to snag blockbuster bargains on everything from iPods to designer clothes

What Happens in Vegas ...

We may see another WTO complaint by Antigua if this comes to pass: ... while a seemingly endless debate rages on in Congress over whether to legalize Internet gambling nationwide, some gaming interests are pursuing a different tack by appealing to Nevada regulators with the power to allow and oversee online