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The Scope of Interim Review

I enjoyed this passage from the China - HP-SSST WTO panel report circulated on Friday: 6.24. Japan suggests that the Panel's analysis of the use of the indefinite article "a" preceding "like product" in the second sentence of Article 3.2 is "
Simon Lester 16 Feb 2015 1 min read

John Oliver on Tobacco Regulation and IEL

Here's John Oliver on his show last night, giving his take on the tobacco litigation going on right now in international economic law: He didn't get into the interpretive issues related to overlap/conflict between the WTO and the FCTC, which I talk about in the
Simon Lester 16 Feb 2015 1 min read

Interim Review: Get Rid of It, or Expand It?

I recall many years ago conversations about how interim review in the WTO panel process was a waste of time, and we should get rid of it.  It had been proposed as a way to improve the quality of panel reports, but appellate review served that same purpose, so there
Simon Lester 12 Feb 2015 3 min read

A Short Treatise on International Trade Law

International trade law covers so much these days that it's hard to write a treatise or casebook on it in less than 1,000 pages.  Trust me on this, or give it a try yourself. Law prof Michael Trebilcock has just given it a try, with some success.
Simon Lester 12 Feb 2015 1 min read

Mega-Regionals and Developing Countries

It turns out that when you have trade negotiations with only a select group of countries, other countries are left out.  Often, those who are left out are developing countries.  What's the impact of having "mega-regional" trade talks that exclude most developing countries?  Some people are
Simon Lester 12 Feb 2015 2 min read

Investor-State Tribunals as Courts of Appeal

This is from Canada's counter-memorial submission in the Eli Lilly NAFTA Chapter 11 case: 213. First, Article 1105(1) requires the NAFTA Parties to accord to investors and their investments the customary international law minimum standard of treatment of aliens. That standard, as has been overwhelmingly affirmed in
Simon Lester 10 Feb 2015 2 min read

Trade in Everything: Medical Marijuana Without the High

Even though marijuana has been legalized here and there, it may be a while before it is traded internationally.  But what if there is a new kind of marijuana, one that relieves pain without the high?  This is from the Washington Post: In a greenhouse in the mountains of the
Simon Lester 10 Feb 2015 1 min read

Implementing the Seal Products Decision

The European Commission has put forward a proposal for implementing the WTO Seal Products decision. Here's the Commission's summary of the proposal: With regard to the MRM exception, the contested discriminatory treatment can only be remedied by removing the MRM exception from the Basic Regulation as
Simon Lester 08 Feb 2015 2 min read

The CAFTA Labor Complaint: "in a manner affecting trade between the Parties”

As discussed here, one key issue in the U.S. claim against Guatemala under the CAFTA labor provisions is whether that failure to enforce labor laws was done "in a manner affecting trade between the Parties."  In its written submission, Guatemala criticizes the U.S. view of this
Simon Lester 05 Feb 2015 2 min read

The CAFTA Labor Dispute: Guatemala's Submission

USTR has posted Guatemala's first written submission in the labor complaint the U.S. brought against Guatemala. (Thanks to Ryan Rainey of Inside US Trade for the tip).  There are some interesting issues in there.  I'll mention a couple. Role of precedent from other areas of
Simon Lester 04 Feb 2015 3 min read

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International Economic Law and Policy Blog

International Economic Law and Policy Blog

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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

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