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

A Non Liquet Example

A little while ago, I posted about Claude Barfield's suggestion on using "non liquet" in WTO dispute settlement: where the texts are unclear or contradictory, panels and the AB should be allowed or even instructed to adopt the non liquet doctrine—or in effect, “it is
Simon Lester 26 Oct 2010 2 min read

The Ukraine-Armenia Cigarettes and Alcohol Dispute

I had been trying to do some posts on the Ukraine-Armenia WTO dispute over taxes and duties on cigarettes and alcohol (DS411), because I figured it would not get reported on much in the mainstream media.  But perhaps I better stop trying to do this kind of reporting, given
Simon Lester 26 Oct 2010 1 min read

The EU Tries to Co-opt Some Americans on GIs

From Reuters: A gourmet coffee from the island of Hawaii won an European prize for top quality foods on Saturday as part of Europe's efforts to bolster the global use of prestigious place names like Champagne, Parma or Roquefort. The European Union is in a long-running dispute
Simon Lester 23 Oct 2010 1 min read

International Law as "Conceptual Guidance"

As most of this blog's readers are aware, there is an ongoing debate about the role of international law in WTO dispute settlement.  Perhaps adding to that discussion, this is from yesterday's WTO panel report in U.S. - AD/CVD on Products from China (DS379): 8.
Simon Lester 23 Oct 2010 2 min read

Concurrent AD/CVD in the WTO Panel on U.S. - AD/CVD on Products from China

In November of last year, I said this about the issue of concurrent anti-dumping/countervailing duties: GATT Article VI:5 provides: "No product of the territory of any Member imported into the territory of any other Member shall be subject to both anti-dumping and countervailing duties to
Simon Lester 22 Oct 2010 2 min read

Zeroing and Prospective Normal Value Systems

This is from the U.S. opening statement at the second panel meeting in U.S. - AD Measures on Orange Juice (DS382): Brazil’s Arguments Are Inconsistent with Both the Concept of, and Its Own Application of, a Prospective Normal Value System 13. The United States has demonstrated that the
Simon Lester 21 Oct 2010 3 min read

Zeroing and the Role of WTO Precedent

One of the interesting things about the zeroing cases (some might say more interesting than the issue of zeroing itself) is how the existence of many, many prior panel/Appellate Body reports addressing zeroing leads to discussions of the role of precedent in WTO law.  This is from the U.
Simon Lester 21 Oct 2010 1 min read

Prohibitions on Labeling under Trade Rules

Most trade law discussions of labeling relate to whether labeling is a possible alternative to a ban or similar strict prohibition on a product, or whether the labeling itself is too trade restrictive.  But what would trade rules have to say when there is a government ban on labeling: The
Simon Lester 20 Oct 2010 1 min read

Pascal Lamy and Designations of Origin

From a recent speech: In the 19th Century, when Ricardo developed what was to become the foundations of international trade theory, countries exported what they produced. In fact, the industrial revolution took root in countries that had coal mines and iron ore. A Portuguese entrepreneur importing a steam engine from
Simon Lester 20 Oct 2010 2 min read

Mobil v. Canada: The Scope of Fair and Equitable Treatment

Via a Luke Peterson tweet, I see that the Mobil v. Canada ICSID hearing will be going on this week, starting tomorrow (Tuesday), and is open to the public.  No webcasting as far as I can tell, unfortunately.  You have to make your way down there. One issue that is
Simon Lester 18 Oct 2010 1 min read

Sign up for email notifications

jamie@example.com
Subscribe

Featured

Why Section 338 Does Not Work in a GATT/WTO World: Lessons from Trade Law History

On July 21, 2026, President Trump exercised his authority under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (hereinafter Section 338) to impose the maximum amount of additional tariffs (fifty per cent) on Canadian cars, alcohol, and dairy, owing to his determination of Canada’s discriminatory treatment of US exports.
23 Jul 2026 10 min read

EU WTO Reform Proposal Seeks To Extend Accession-Based State Enterprise Rules To All Members

In a new WTO reform paper entitled "Further Reflections on Disciplines, Subsidies and Industrial policy," the EU argues for stronger WTO disciplines on the behavior of state enterprises.
17 Jul 2026 5 min read

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

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

28 posts

Appellate Body

72 posts

CAFTA

5 posts

CETA

8 posts

Currency Disputes

60 posts

Development

23 posts

Digital Trade

61 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

12 posts

EU-China Trade Relations

3 posts

EU-UK Trade Negotiation

5 posts

Exceptions

19 posts

Exchange Rates

7 posts

Export Restrictions

13 posts

Food Aid

5 posts

Foreign Investment

21 posts

FTA Negotiations

14 posts

FTAs - General

22 posts

Gambling Dispute

52 posts

Global Governance

9 posts

Globalization

13 posts

Government Procurement

5 posts

Green Steel Deal

14 posts

IEEPA

9 posts

IEL in Domestic Courts

20 posts

Indo-Pacific Economic Framework

5 posts

Industrial Policy

20 posts

Investor-State Arbitration

93 posts

Jamieson Greer

19 posts

Katherine Tai

66 posts

NAFTA

19 posts

NAFTA Chapter 11

15 posts

NAFTA Chapter 19

5 posts

National Security

38 posts

Non Appeal Pact

3 posts

Non-Discrimination Standards

62 posts

Non-Market Economies

7 posts

Non-Violation Nullification or Impairment

19 posts

Precedent

25 posts

Public Views of Trade

9 posts

Robert Lighthizer

19 posts

Russia Trade Sanctions

17 posts

Sanctions

15 posts

Section 301

17 posts

Sovereignty

10 posts

SPS/TBT

5 posts

Standards of Review

7 posts

State Enterprises

9 posts

Sub-National Trade Issues

5 posts

Subsidies

83 posts

Tariffs

4 posts

Terms of Trade Manipulation

7 posts

Trade Agreements

24 posts

Trade and Competition

14 posts

Trade and Development

21 posts

Trade and Environment

119 posts

Trade and Health

20 posts

Trade and Human Rights

9 posts

Trade and Income Inequality

1 post

Trade and Intellectual Property

26 posts

Trade and Labor

28 posts

Trade and Peace

4 posts

Trade and Security

35 posts

Trade and the Stock Market

2 posts

Trade Balance

14 posts

Trade in Everything

65 posts

Trade in Services

21 posts

Trade Law and International Law

10 posts

Trade Preferences/GSP

23 posts

Trade Remedies

64 posts

Trans Pacific Partnership

9 posts

Trump Administration

60 posts

U.S. Trade Policy

32 posts

U.S. Trade Politics

60 posts

US-China Trade Relations

29 posts

USMCA

20 posts

USMCA Dispute Settlement

34 posts

USMCA Sunset/Review Clause

25 posts

USTR

16 posts

WTO - General

25 posts

WTO Accessions

8 posts

WTO Disputes

178 posts

WTO DS Reform

13 posts

WTO Jurisprudence

28 posts

WTO Negotiations

31 posts

Zeroing

29 posts
Powered by Ghost