International Economic Law and Policy Blog
  • Home
  • About
  • WorldTradeLaw.net
Sign in Subscribe

Job Opening: Director of Legal Affairs at the WTO

Here are some of the details: The Secretariat of the WTO is seeking to fill the position of Director in the Legal Affairs Division. General Functions Reporting to a Deputy Director-General (DDG), the incumbent will lead the Legal Affairs Division, which is primarily responsible for assisting dispute settlement panels and
Simon Lester 09 May 2016 2 min read

Trump's Trade Delusions

Donald Trump talked about trade today: Greeted by supporters chanting "build the wall" as well as protesters, Donald Trump rallied thousands in Nebraska. Trump spoke for about 35 minutes, highlighting issues like trade and immigration. He made a point of saying he tailored his message for Nebraska, talking
Simon Lester 06 May 2016 1 min read

Hillary Clinton on the TPP

From the Washington Post: Clinton, the Democratic pres­idential front-runner, responded in writing to a question on the lame-duck session from a coalition of Oregon labor unions and environmental groups by stating: “I oppose the TPP agreement — and that means before and after the election.” ... On the Oregon questionnaire, in
Simon Lester 06 May 2016 1 min read

Protectionism

Regular readers know how much I like to obsess over the meaning of "protectionism" and the purpose of trade agreements. Sweden's National Board of Trade has a great new report that delves into these questions. Here's an excerpt: As mentioned, the approaches to protectionism
Simon Lester 04 May 2016 1 min read

Obama on the TPP

This is from President Obama in an op-ed pushing for the TPP: ... China is negotiating a trade deal that would carve up some of the fastest-growing markets in the world at our expense, putting American jobs, businesses and goods at risk. ... Fortunately, America has a plan of our own that
Simon Lester 04 May 2016 2 min read

Will TTIP be "Light"?

This is from Inside US Trade: U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and German Economic Minister Sigmar Gabriel on Monday (April 25) each blamed the other side for holding up progress in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations, with Gabriel charging the U.S. with intransigence on government
Simon Lester 02 May 2016 3 min read

Can Trade Agreements Change Domestic Laws?

This is from EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström: It begs to be said, again and again: No EU trade agreement will ever lower our level of protection of consumers, or food safety, or of the environment. Trade agreements will not change our laws on GMOs, or how to produce safe
Simon Lester 02 May 2016 1 min read

Maybe Purpose Can Be Part of Non-Discrimination After All

Reading further in the Argentina - Financial Services AB report, maybe I was getting all worked up over nothing.  After seeming to say that "regulatory aspects" of the measure cannot be considered as a separate step in the conditions of competition/treatment no less favorable analysis, the AB
Simon Lester 29 Apr 2016 1 min read

Determining a Measure's Purpose

We had so much fun talking about discriminatory purpose last week, I thought I'd bring up the subject again.  This time, I want to focus on exactly how one might evaluate a measure's legitimacy, which you may or may not think involves a determination as to
Simon Lester 29 Apr 2016 7 min read

Regulating "Healthy" Cigarettes

From The Economist: TOBACCO companies specialise in contradiction. They herald the decline of smoking among youngsters, for example, then flaunt their sales to callow puffers. The most skilled contortionist in the industry may be Philip Morris International, the world’s biggest tobacco firm. To date, any good news for shareholders
Simon Lester 26 Apr 2016 1 min read

About

International Economic Law and Policy Blog

International Economic Law and Policy Blog

Expert commentary on the law, politics and economics of international trade and investment

Sign up for email notifications

[email protected]
Subscribe

Featured

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

Is Foreign Antitrust Enforcement "Discriminatory" and "Anti-American"?

The House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust held a hearing in December on "Anti-American Antitrust: How Foreign Governments Target U.S. Businesses." There was a lot of talk at the hearing about how foreign regulations and regulators "discriminate" against American companies.
05 Jan 2026 5 min read

Pennsylvania Court Finds Mexican Government Guilty of "Discrimination" Due To Its Subsidies

I'm always interested in how courts apply the concept of "discrimination" in the context of international trade, so I've been eagerly awaiting a Pennsylvania court decision in a case against Mexico.
12 Dec 2025 8 min read

Economic Security in Trade Agreements: My Response to Geoff Gertz

Thanks to Geoff for laying out his vision of why economic security should be in trade agreements and how to bring it in. It won't surprise anyone to hear I have some additional comments and questions in response!
04 Dec 2025 10 min read

Topics

2008 Presidential Election

25 posts

2012 Republican Primary

6 posts

2020 Democratic Primary

22 posts

2020 Presidential Campaign

6 posts

2024 Presidential Campaign

9 posts

2024 Republican Primary

9 posts

Announcements

25 posts

Appellate Body

72 posts

CAFTA

5 posts

CETA

8 posts

Currency Disputes

57 posts

Development

23 posts

Digital Trade

55 posts

Domestic Trade Powers

10 posts

Dormant Commerce Clause

3 posts

DSU 25 Interim Appeals

43 posts

DSU Article 11

13 posts

Economic Integration

8 posts

Economic Statecraft

8 posts

EU-UK Trade Negotiation

5 posts

Exceptions

19 posts

Exchange Rates

5 posts

Export Restrictions

13 posts

Food Aid

5 posts

Foreign Investment

21 posts

FTA Negotiations

12 posts

FTAs - General

21 posts

Gambling Dispute

52 posts

Global Governance

9 posts

Globalization

13 posts

Government Procurement

5 posts

Green Steel Deal

14 posts

IEEPA

8 posts

IEL in Domestic Courts

20 posts

Indo-Pacific Economic Framework

5 posts

Industrial Policy

19 posts

Investor-State Arbitration

93 posts

Jamieson Greer

14 posts

Katherine Tai

66 posts

NAFTA

18 posts

NAFTA Chapter 11

15 posts

NAFTA Chapter 19

5 posts

National Security

37 posts

Non Appeal Pact

3 posts

Non-Discrimination Standards

59 posts

Non-Market Economies

5 posts

Non-Violation Nullification or Impairment

16 posts

Precedent

25 posts

Public Views of Trade

9 posts

Rare Earths

1 post

Robert Lighthizer

17 posts

Russia Trade Sanctions

17 posts

Sanctions

15 posts

Sovereignty

9 posts

Speech

1 post

SPS/TBT

5 posts

Standards of Review

7 posts

State Enterprises

7 posts

Sub-National Trade Issues

5 posts

Subsidies

83 posts

Tariffs

2 posts

Terms of Trade Manipulation

6 posts

Trade Agreements

16 posts

Trade and Competition

14 posts

Trade and Development

20 posts

Trade and Environment

117 posts

Trade and Health

20 posts

Trade and Human Rights

8 posts

Trade and Income Inequality

1 post

Trade and Intellectual Property

25 posts

Trade and Labor

23 posts

Trade and Peace

4 posts

Trade and Security

32 posts

Trade and the Stock Market

2 posts

Trade Balance

9 posts

Trade in Everything

65 posts

Trade in Services

21 posts

Trade Law and International Law

9 posts

Trade Preferences/GSP

23 posts

Trade Remedies

62 posts

Trans Pacific Partnership

8 posts

Trump Administration

44 posts

U.S. Trade Policy

29 posts

U.S. Trade Politics

58 posts

US-China Trade Relations

26 posts

USMCA

18 posts

USMCA Dispute Settlement

33 posts

USMCA Sunset/Review Clause

18 posts

USTR

15 posts

WTO - General

20 posts

WTO Accessions

8 posts

WTO Disputes

175 posts

WTO DS Reform

12 posts

WTO Jurisprudence

28 posts

WTO Negotiations

30 posts

Zeroing

29 posts
Powered by Ghost