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Hillman on Carbon Taxes and the WTO

Former AB Member Jennifer Hillman has a new paper on carbon taxes and WTO rules. Some excerpts: Can such a carbon tax be applied in a way that does not violate U.S. obligations under the WTO Agreements? I believe the answer is yes, provided that policymakers carefully design such
Simon Lester 14 Aug 2013 2 min read

More on Investor-State and Section 337

Back in February, I wondered whether Samsung could file an investor-state complaint -- under the KORUS FTA -- in the event that some of its components were excluded from the U.S. through a Section 337 determination.  Recent developments in this area now offer up another possible complaint. As everyone
Simon Lester 13 Aug 2013 1 min read

SIEL Essay Prize

The 2013 SIEL essay prize competition is now open: The competition is open to all current undergraduate and graduate students of any university or other tertiary education institution, and those who have graduated from a university or other tertiary education institution no earlier than five years before the submission deadline
Simon Lester 13 Aug 2013 1 min read

Can the USTR Deny Samsung an Exclusion Order Under Section 337?

Michael Froman recently exercised his discretion to overrule the International Trade Commission's determination to exclude from importation certain Apple products found to infringe Samsung patents.  It is reported to be the first time since 1987 that a 337 order has been overruled.  Thus, it is the first time
Trachtman 10 Aug 2013 1 min read

Transparency in Investment Arbitrations

From a dissenting opinion on the issue of document confidentiality in the Telefonica v. Mexico ICSID case: 3. The majority's decision establishes, de facto, a presumption of confidentiality by prohibiting Parties from disclosing: (i) the records or minutes of the hearings; (ii) the documents submitted by the Parties
Simon Lester 09 Aug 2013 2 min read

The Impact of the Sequester on U.S. Trade Policy

Two recent items of note on this topic: 1. From the NY Times, the effect of a smaller budget for USTR: The Office of the United States Trade Representative has been waging a lonely battle for its budget, which shrank 7 percent to $47 million this year because of sequestration
Simon Lester 08 Aug 2013 2 min read

De Jure vs. De Facto Discrimination under TBT Article 2.1

From the EU response to the Seal Products panel's second set of questions: Question 142 (European Union) Please elaborate on the basis for your position regarding de jure and de facto discrimination claims under the GATT 1994 as described in paragraph 79 of the European Union's
Simon Lester 05 Aug 2013 1 min read

Product Characteristics and PPMs

From the EU response to the Seal Products panel's second set of questions: Question 127 (All parties) Is the scope of "product characteristics or their related processes and production methods" in TBT Annex 1:1 limited to physical qualities, whether intrinsic or extrinsic, of a product?
Simon Lester 05 Aug 2013 3 min read

Extraterritoriality in the Seal Products Dispute

From the EU response to the Seal Products panel's second set of questions: Question 108 (European Union) Canada argues that, in examining the existence of specific public morals, "it is relevant whether the conduct arises outside or within the jurisdiction or territory of the Member whose measure
Simon Lester 02 Aug 2013 3 min read

The Welfare of Seals versus the Welfare of Other Animals

From the EU response to the Seal Products panel's second set of questions: Question 105 (All parties) The parties have referred to animal welfare outcomes in the killing of other wild animals as well as animals in commercial slaughterhouses in these proceedings. Please explain their factual and legal
Simon Lester 02 Aug 2013 1 min read

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International Economic Law and Policy Blog

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Tracking Goods Exports under the Trump Administration's Trade Policies

My sense is that one of the reasons some traditionally pro-trade members of Congress have continued to support Trump's trade policies, despite misgivings they may have about tariffs, is because they hope these policies will pry open foreign markets, leading to increased US exports.
07 May 2026 8 min read

Could Congress Extend the USMCA for Another Term?

People have been assuming that the decision on whether to extend the USMCA for another term is up to President Trump, but based on the language of the USMCA related to the upcoming joint review, could Congress actually have the power to make this decision on its own?
04 May 2026 4 min read

Is There No Going Back on Trade? What Is the Path Forward? A Response to Lighthizer

Former U.S. Trade Rep. Bob Lighthizer has a new essay in Foreign Affairs, and I have some thoughts. I'm going to start with his brief big picture points on the direction of U.S. trade policy, and then go through a couple of the specific concepts he emphasizes.
27 Apr 2026 6 min read

The Section 301 Excess Capacity Investigation Needs Less Madness, More Method

Shortly after the Supreme Court ruled President Trump’s emergency tariffs under IEEPA  unconstitutional, the administration scrambled to rebuild its tariff wall. While the announcement of Section 122 tariffs immediately following the ruling will provide a temporary patch, the U.S. Trade Representative’s office quickly began to utilize another
24 Apr 2026 6 min read

War Tariffs

This is a co-authored post by Kathleen Claussen and Tim Meyer. Last week, President Trump announced that the United States would be imposing new tariffs of 50 percent of the value of any product coming from any country that sells weapons or provides military aid to Iran. Some commentators questioned
14 Apr 2026 5 min read

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