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The USMCA Sunset Clause as a "Check on Bad Behavior"

This is from testimony by Beth Baltzan at a House Ways and Means Committee hearing yesterday on "Enforcement in the New NAFTA": The Ultimate Check on Bad Behavior: The Sunset Clause The history of U.S. trade policy exposes particular challenges with Europe and Japan, who have had
Simon Lester 23 May 2019 4 min read

The Missing Legal Strategy for the US-China Trade War

The Missing Legal Strategy for the US-China Trade War Steve Charnovitz 23 May 2019 The Trump Administration's strategy against China suffers many flaws, the most serious of which is the failure to use judicial procedures in the WTO.  As my recent study https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.
Charnovitz 23 May 2019 2 min read

Enforcement of the USMCA: Establish a Roster Now?

Bloomberg reports: The White House and congressional Democrats have opened talks to resolve outstanding details that have thus far held up the new North American trade deal, according to people briefed on discussions between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and trade chief Robert Lighthizer. Pelosi told Lighthizer that she will designate
Simon Lester 22 May 2019 1 min read

WTO Panels Without An Appellate Body: Can Rules-Based Dispute Settlement Survive Post December 2019 Under The Status Quo?

Has it struck you that, so far, WTO Members and most dispute settlement commentators keep their focus almost exclusively on the WTO Appellate Body (AB)? Be it criticizing or defending the AB, trying to save or reform it, or thinking of possible alternatives for “appellate review” (such as Article 25
Joost Pauwelyn 22 May 2019 4 min read

Questions about WTO Appellate Review Reform Proposals and Alternatives

Here are the questions for discussion for what looks to be a great conference at the World Trade Institute this coming Friday: Questions posed to the panel on “Scope of and timeframe for appellate review” • Should the objectivity of factual findings of a panel be subject to appellate review? • Should
Simon Lester 21 May 2019 7 min read

Does the US Accept Rebalancing as an Appropriate Response to National Security Measures in its Steel/Aluminum Settlements with Canada and Mexico?

The agreements reached between the US and Canada/Mexico, respectively, to bring an end to the Section 232 measures on steel and aluminum and the retaliatory measures adopted by Canada and Mexico contain the following provision: “If the importing party takes such action [i.e. if the US re-imposes the
Nicolas Lamp 21 May 2019 3 min read

Import Surge Protection and Retaliation in the Section 232 Agreements

Here's one aspect of the Section 232 steel/aluminum tariff removal agreements/understandings mentioned in a post last Friday (the excerpt below is from the agreement with Canada): After extensive discussions on trade in steel and aluminum covered by the action taken pursuant to Section 232 of the
Simon Lester 20 May 2019 1 min read

Non-Delegation Constitutional Law Cases Coming

Keep your eye out for the Gundy Supreme Court decision, which should be out soon: the underlying issue is whether the court will revive the long-dormant principle that Congress cannot delegate its legislative power to executive agencies. The court has not struck down a federal law as an excessive delegation
Simon Lester 17 May 2019 6 min read

Four "National Security" Disputes Down, A Bunch More To Go

Canada/Mexico and the United States have worked out a deal to get rid of the Section 232 steel/aluminum tariffs and the retaliatory tariffs. This is from Global Affairs Canada: After extensive discussions on trade in steel and aluminum covered by the action taken pursuant to Section 232 of
Simon Lester 17 May 2019 2 min read

Guest Post: The Trade Policy Review Mechanism at 30: Happy Anniversary or Something Else?

This is a guest post from professor Martin Edwards  This has been a difficult time for the WTO. Stories of the deepening crisis in the Dispute Settlement Body, and the looming threat of a President who has threatened to pull the US out have all been headlines in recent months.
Simon Lester 16 May 2019 4 min read

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International Economic Law and Policy Blog

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Featured

Comparing the Enforcement Provisions in the New U.S. Trade Deals

Building on the comparison of trade agreement provisions in my last post, let's take a look at the "enforcement" provisions of the six agreements for which the legal texts have been published.
11 Feb 2026 3 min read

Comparing the Economic and National Security Provisions in the New U.S. Trade Deals

By my count, we now have the legal texts of five Trump administration trade agreements. Will there be enforcement actions under these agreements?
09 Feb 2026 4 min read

Jamieson Greer on the 30 Year Aberration in U.S. Trade Policy

When he was in Davos last week for the World Economic Forum, U.S. Trade Rep. Jamieson Greer talked a bit about U.S. trade policy history and described a recent period during which, in his view, U.S. trade policy shifted away from tariffs/protectionism and towards free trade.
29 Jan 2026 6 min read

Is this the end of MFN as we know it? The EU submission on WTO reform and the meaning of development

With the release of the EU submission on WTO reform, it has become clear that the MFN principle’s central role within the WTO architecture is under challenge. As a keystone, it risks the entire bridge falling. Even if the foundations are retained but deemed outdated or unusable, and a
23 Jan 2026 3 min read

Can "Geopolitical" Tariffs Be Dealt With through Trade Deals?

Last Friday, U.S. Trade Rep. Jamieson Greer was asked about Trump's initial suggestion of tariffs related to the goal of taking over Greenland
20 Jan 2026 4 min read

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