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Would the New NAFTA Reduce Policy Uncertainty?

This is a key passage from the ITC's USMCA report: Provisions That Reduce Policy Uncertainty for International Data Transfer, Cross-border Services, and Investment Many of the provisions in USMCA represent commitments to maintaining current regulatory conditions. In many of these cases, firms have operated under regulatory conditions
Simon Lester 19 Apr 2019 5 min read

The ITC's USMCA Report: Reducing "Policy Uncertainty" is the Key Factor

This seems to be a key part of the ITC's USMCA report (pp. 43, 58): Of the eight USMCA components included in the economy-wide model, provisions that reduce policy uncertainty about international data flows, cross-border services, and investment, as well as certain automotive rules of origin,
Simon Lester 18 Apr 2019 2 min read

The ITC's USMCA Report: The IP Section

This is from the IP section of the ITC's USMCA report (starts on p. 213): Modeling of Changes to Key IPR Provisions The Commission’s quantitative assessment of the effects of key IPR changes in USMCA identifies the statistical relationships between trade in certain IPR-intensive manufacturing sectors
Simon Lester 18 Apr 2019 1 min read

The ITC's USMCA Report: The ISDS Section

This is the ISDS section of the ITC's USMCA report (starts on p. 199, footnotes omitted): Modeling of Changes to Key ISDS Provisions The Commission’s quantitative assessment of the ISDS provisions sought to identify how the changes in ISDS provisions could affect the U.S. economy as
Simon Lester 18 Apr 2019 7 min read

Highlights of the ITC Report on the USMCA's "Likely Impact on the U.S. Economy and on Specific Industry Sectors"

Here's the headline number from today's ITC report on the impact of USMCA: The Commission’s model estimates that USMCA would raise U.S. real GDP by $68.2 billion (0.35 percent) and U.S. employment by 176,000 jobs (0.12 percent). The model
Simon Lester 18 Apr 2019 4 min read

Peremptory Challenges during Panelist Composition in NAFTA 2.0

This is from the dispute settlement chapter of USMCA (Inu pointed it out to me): Article 31.9: Panel Composition ... 3. A panelist shall normally be selected from the roster. A disputing Party may exercise a peremptory challenge against an individual not on the roster who is proposed as a
Simon Lester 18 Apr 2019 1 min read

Can Special and Differential Treatment Reduce Poverty?

In January, the Trump Administration attacked the use of special and differential treatment (SDT), by virtue of developing country status, by China, India, Brazil, and a number of other countries (not to mention Singapore, South Korea, and Israel).  The argument, focusing on China, is that China is the world’s
Joel Trachtman 18 Apr 2019 2 min read

In USMCA Ratification Fight, It's Much Ado about Labor

Congressional Democrats are starting to flex their muscles against President Trump’s trade policy. As ratification of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) hangs in the balance, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other prominent Democrats have called on U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to strengthen enforcement of the
Inu Manak 17 Apr 2019 6 min read

Three Scenarios for the Future of the WTO Appellate Body, or: Why WTO Members Should Start Negotiating a DSU 2.0

A fundamental uncertainty bedevils attempts to unblock the appointment process of WTO Appellate Members: is the US holding up Appellate Body appointments in order to generate enough leverage for a negotiated reform of WTO dispute settlement? Or does the US seek to abolish the Appellate Body (in effect if not
Nicolas Lamp 15 Apr 2019 5 min read

Business Reactions to Trade Wars

There is a Chinese saying that “when there is a policy from the above, there is a reaction from the below” (“上有政策, 下有对策”). This is exactly what has happened since the inception of trade wars.  Both domestic and international businesses have attempted to avoid the punitive tariffs through various means,
Sungjoon Cho 14 Apr 2019 1 min read

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Why Section 338 Does Not Work in a GATT/WTO World: Lessons from Trade Law History

On July 21, 2026, President Trump exercised his authority under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (hereinafter Section 338) to impose the maximum amount of additional tariffs (fifty per cent) on Canadian cars, alcohol, and dairy, owing to his determination of Canada’s discriminatory treatment of US exports.
23 Jul 2026 10 min read

EU WTO Reform Proposal Seeks To Extend Accession-Based State Enterprise Rules To All Members

In a new WTO reform paper entitled "Further Reflections on Disciplines, Subsidies and Industrial policy," the EU argues for stronger WTO disciplines on the behavior of state enterprises.
17 Jul 2026 5 min read

Governments Make Their Case Against Section 301 Forced Labor Tariffs

Last month, USTR made a determination in its Section 301 investigation into "Acts, Policies, and Practices of Various Economies Related to the Failure To Impose and Effectively Enforce a Prohibition on the Importation of Goods Produced With Forced Labor."
10 Jul 2026 5 min read

How Should the EU Get Tough with China? Unilateral Action vs. WTO Complaints

I've seen several recent calls for the EU to get tougher in its economic relations with China, along with arguments that it has been too slow to act against the Chinese economic threat.
06 Jul 2026 4 min read

Trump Administration Decides Not To Extend USMCA for Another Term: What Does That Mean Exactly?

Today, as part of the first joint review of the USMCA, the three governments held a virtual meeting.
01 Jul 2026 4 min read

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