International Economic Law and Policy Blog (Page 419)

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Reading the Doha Tea Leaves

It seems that there is a great deal of synchronicity between the global economy and the Doha trade talks. Both of them were in their nadir last summer and now both of them seem to have found their green shoots. Of course, there may be a plethora of explanations why

Investor-State in FTAs

In the context of the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, the Emergency Committee for American Trade makes the following point: The U.S.-Australia FTA did not include one vitally important component of a strong investment chapter, namely investor-state dispute settlement. ECAT very strongly urges that investor-state dispute

In Praise of Trade Deficits

From the always provocative Don Boudreaux: Beyond contributing to American economic vitality, foreign investment here signals global confidence in that vitality. Investors go long only in assets or places that promise a reasonable prospect of future profits. These facts are why the recent decline in America's trade deficit

Mutual Assured Dumping

The AFP mentions the following interesting fact in relation to the WTO complaint by China against EU anti-dumping duties on fasteners (e.g., screws and bolts): In one of the biggest anti-dumping cases against China, the EU decided after an investigation to impose levies on imports of some

Is there an Abuse of the Arguendo Technique in WTO Panel Reports?

I have just finished reading the panel report relating to CVDs imposed by Mexico on Olive Oil from the European Communities, and it strikes me that the arguendo technique has become pervasive in recent panel reports. What panels are really doing through this technique (certainly out of fear of the

WTO Litigation Costs and the Seal Products Case

I was recently talking to someone writing a paper about the costs of litigating WTO disputes, so I found the following quite interesting. Commenting on the Seal Products dispute, a lawyer who would probably know these things suggests the following in relation to that case: A WTO challenge would likely

Philippine Pharma Price Prohibitions on Patented Potions

Todays' WSJ reports that "President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo imposed price controls on several branded drugs when their manufacturers failed to comply with a new law designed to lower retail prices." On a quick review, I don't see anything in TRIPS that would restrict the ability

GATT Article VI:5 and Dual Remedies for AD/CVD

GATT Article VI:5 states: No product of the territory of any contracting party imported into the territory of any other contracting party shall be subject to both anti-dumping and countervailing duties to compensate for the same situation of dumping or export subsidization. In its first written submission in

"Devaluations Cause Trade Tensions"

This statement comes from an article in this week's Economist. Earlier in the piece, they talk about the Great Depression and make the following point that helps explain why devaluations cause trade tensions: Countries that cut the link to gold quickly and allowed their currencies to fluctuate endured

Chief Trade Adviser to Forum Island Countries

This looks like a great job for somebody: The [Pacific Island Forum] Secretariat is looking to appoint a suitably qualified and experienced person to work as the: • Chief Trade Adviser to Forum Island Countries for Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus negotiations The Chief Trade Adviser will be