Recently, domestic solar cell (module) producers in both sides of the Atlantic have redoubled their efforts to stop the influx of cheaper rival products from China.  Predictably, they rely heavily on trade remedies such as antidumping measures. Of course, protectionism of this sort, in particular amid the recession, is hardly

I did a post on this on the Cato blog here.  Here's an IELP version.  (You can see the difference in tone with what I say on this blog!) We now have the technical details of the Olympic uniform controversy, as the proposed Senate legislation is available.   Some

I'm reposting this because the submission deadline is coming up.  From the ASIL/IEcLIG: 2012 Biennial Interest Group Conference: Re-Conceptualizing International Economic Law: Bridging the Public/Private Divide George Washington University Law School Washington D.C., USA November 29-December 1, 2012 I.         Conference Theme The ASIL

Yesterday the European Commission submitted a proposal to EU member states to commence negotiations for a FTA with Japan.  The announcement said "Priority in the negotiations will be the elimination of non-tariff barriers to trade on the Japanese market, as well as access to Japan's public

We are looking for a full-time research assistant at Cato's trade policy center.  Here are the details: The Cato Institute seeks a research assistant to support the efforts of its  trade scholars, who focus on educating the public about the benefits of free  trade and the costs

See the recently released UNCTAD World Investment Report 2012.  It proposes S&D treatment in investment, including provisions for non-binding national treatment and "fair and equitable treatment" norms for the less developed party.  I wonder whether they have determined that these types of reduced commitments would

See Petros Mavroidis' briefing paper at CUTS International.  He argues that poor countries have problems identifying violations that hurt them, and have further problems because retaliatory enforcement hurts their own welfare.  He suggests that existing proposals for DSU reform do not address these issues, although the proposals for monetary

This is why we need more "social marketing" for the cause of free trade. Here goes an insightful posting by Dan Ikenson (Cato Institute). http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/why-not-make-olympic-uniforms-china "If you are still not convinced of the folly of our

From a speech by WTO DG Pascal Lamy: Growing  interdependence among nations, as well as growing consumer awareness, have  certainly focused greater attention on NTMs [non-tariff measures]. As the use of NTMs increases, the  potential for friction is likely to increase. A number of high-profile disputes  have already

The trend continues, this time under the GATS.  This is from yesterday's China - Electronic Payment Services panel report: 7.702 In the light of the above, we consider that a likeness determination should be based on arguments and evidence that pertain to the competitive relationship of the services