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The Latest on Appeal/Review in WTO DS Reform

I've been posting about official WTO documents related to appeal/review in dispute settlement reform. The latest one, from the heads of delegation meeting on November 21, is now available. There were no exciting new revelations, but just for the sake of completeness, I'm providing excerpts
Simon Lester 17 Jan 2025 2 min read

Unfinished Business: Bringing China Into the Club of Market-Oriented Countries

Given where U.S. trade policy is at the moment, this doesn't seem like the best time for my latest piece, which is called "Unfinished Business: Bringing China Into the Club of Market-Oriented Countries." But sometimes all you can do is lay the groundwork for
Simon Lester 16 Jan 2025 2 min read

Katherine Tai on "The Real Purpose of Trade Policy"

As we close in on the end of the Biden administration, I may have fewer opportunities to react to Katherine Tai's thoughts on trade policy. My Katherine Tai tag now has over 60 entries. I've enjoyed writing them, and I hope she has enjoyed -- or at
Simon Lester 13 Jan 2025 7 min read

Call for Papers: Journal of World Investment & Trade

This is a call for papers from early career scholars in international trade and investment law from the Journal of World Investment & Trade: Submit your abstract, and if selected, you will be invited to participate in an exclusive workshop where you will receive invaluable advice and guidance from leading
Simon Lester 13 Jan 2025 1 min read

Call for Papers: Shaping Appropriate ADR in International Law

The International Law Association is hosting a conference on Shaping Appropriate ADR in International Law, on 7 April 2025 in Florence, Italy. The call for papers is here. Here is the conference theme: As 2025 begins, there is no shortage of international law disputes, in areas ranging from geopolitics to
Simon Lester 09 Jan 2025 1 min read

Jake Sullivan's International Economics Legacy

Never having worked in government at a high level (I was a summer intern once a long time ago), I am only vaguely familiar with the idea of bolstering your "legacy" at the end of your time in office. But people who seem to know what they are
Simon Lester 05 Jan 2025 5 min read

Is NAFTA a Good Explanation for Workers Leaving the Democratic Party? The Case of Ohio

The Washington Post recently published an op-ed about Sherrod Brown, a long-time Democratic Senator (and previously a Representative) from Ohio who lost his seat in the November election, highlighting his view that the passage of NAFTA led to "workers" leaving the Democratic party: ... Brown says the
Simon Lester 29 Dec 2024 11 min read

Appeal/Review Proposals under Consideration in the WTO Dispute Settlement Reform Process

In a recent post on appeal/review issues being discussed as part of the WTO dispute settlement reform process, I quoted something that referenced "an updated draft of the document known as the Appeal/Review Tables, which will reflect the progress made in the discussions since the summer break
Simon Lester 22 Dec 2024 7 min read

Discussing Tariffs with Michael Pettis

Finance professor Michael Pettis had a recent FT piece on tariffs. His piece builds on one of his Bluesky threads, which I discussed with him there. In this post, I'm going to react to some of the things he said in both the FT piece and the Bluesky
Simon Lester 16 Dec 2024 5 min read

The U.S. Proposal on How to Handle Disputes on Essential Security Measures

At a DSB meeting in January 2023, the U.S. made clear its position that "it was a mistake to begin adjudicating national security at the WTO," and said: "we believe Members need to clarify and adopt a shared understanding of the essential security exception, and we
Simon Lester 11 Dec 2024 3 min read

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International Economic Law and Policy Blog

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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

Competing Views of Sovereignty: The Haves vs. The Have Nots in AI (and Steel)

It's interesting to watch how political leaders craft narratives around economic competition that reflect their own country's strengths and weaknesses.
29 Jun 2026 4 min read

A law of many meanings: Exchange Actions under the GATT and IMF

Earlier this week, Simon Lester posted about the EU’s concerns with the undervaluation of the Chinese currency. He situated the recent demands for trade restrictions against a longstanding debate about the function of GATT Article XV:4.
25 Jun 2026 8 min read

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