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Some Ideas for the Future of Trade

Many people consider the present of trade to be a bit unpleasant, so it's natural to look towards the future of trade. I was part of an effort to do so at the Baker Institute last October, and you can watch the event here. There's now
Simon Lester 26 Sep 2023 4 min read

Katherine Tai on Chinese Non-Market Practices and WTO Dispute Settlement Reform

At a CSIS event today with U.S. Trade Rep. Katherine Tai and WTO DG Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, entitled "Why the Developing World and All of Us Need Trade and the WTO," Tai spoke about a number of issues related to the WTO. I'm going
Simon Lester 22 Sep 2023 9 min read

Would U.S. Dirty Steel Tariffs Be WTO-"Kosher"?

At the Atlantic Council's Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics event today, economics correspondent Stephanie Flanders asked U.S. Trade Rep. Katherine Tai about possible unilateral U.S. tariffs on dirty steel: I think the issue has been for the EU, and I think Vice President Dombrovskis has made it
Simon Lester 22 Sep 2023 3 min read

Defending Globalization

Cato has a new project on "Defending Globalization," with a number of contributions so far and more coming. Here's the description: Globalization faces renewed attention—and criticism. Like any market phenomenon, the free movement of people, things, money, and ideas across natural or political borders is
Simon Lester 13 Sep 2023 2 min read

How To Design a Subsidy Rule Carveout for Carbon Reduction Measures

Jennifer Hillman and Inu Manak have a new paper out called "Rethinking International Rules on Subsidies." In a nutshell, they argue that all the new subsidies being thrown around are likely to create difficulties in international economic relations, and some revised rules might help with that. One key
Simon Lester 10 Sep 2023 2 min read

The IPEF Supply Chain Agreement: Commitments, Institutions, Labor, Monitoring, Security, and Consultations

I haven't been following the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) negotiations as closely as some other people have, but I see that the text of the IPEF's Supply Chain Agreement was released yesterday. I don't have any hot takes on all this,
Simon Lester 08 Sep 2023 6 min read

Post by Joel Trachtman: Remaking Trade for Sustainable Development

Joel was having trouble posting, so despite my name as the author of the post, this is actually from him: Some readers of this blog are old enough to remember when I resisted arguments to apply international environmental law in WTO dispute settlement.  My position then was based on a
Simon Lester 07 Sep 2023 2 min read

The First CPTPP Panel Report

The first CPTPP panel report, in the Canada - Dairy TRQs case, was just circulated. A case on similar issues has already been litigated under the USMCA, and a new USMCA case is currently being litigated. At this point, I have just two small things to note about the panel report.
Simon Lester 06 Sep 2023 1 min read

What if the Clinton Administration Hadn't Agreed to China's WTO Accession?

In recent years, I've frequently heard the argument that the Clinton administration made a mistake by allowing China to join the WTO. The specific actions here are the Clinton administration's completion of a bilateral deal with China in 1999 (which paved the way for other governments
Simon Lester 05 Sep 2023 2 min read

The U.S. “Worker-Centered Trade Policy” is helping some workers in Mexico but not in America

This Labor Day post seeks to shed light on the Biden administration’s “worker-centered” trade policy.  It argues that the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA) misses a critical opportunity to strengthen workers’ rights in America.  The agreement’s provisions exclude protections for the most vulnerable workers in
Desiree LeClercq 03 Sep 2023 8 min read

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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

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