International Economic Law and Policy Blog (Page 426)

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Mission Creep at the WTO

On Saturday, the WTO joined three other international organizations in issuing a Statement about the H1NI virus. The other three IGOs were the FAO, the OIE, and the WHO. The Statement can be found at http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news09_e/jt_stat_02may09_e.htm. According

The WTO Seals Dispute: He Shoots, He Scores?

Or maybe he puts the biscuit in the basket? Two minutes for roughing? I don't know, there must be some hockey term that is relevant here, but I can't quite find the right one. I had been wondering what famous hockey players thought of the Canadian

Taxing U.S. Multinationals Abroad and at Home

From today's headlines: President Barack Obama vowed on Monday to overhaul tax policies that he said reward companies for shifting U.S. jobs overseas and allow wealthy people to evade taxes using offshore accounts. The White House estimated the plan would save $210 billion over the next decade.

Obama’s trade policy on the 100th day: then and now

Fair to say, Obama’s trade policy has largely been indiscernible during his first 100 days in the Oval Office. It appears that the exigency from the financial crisis and his original anti-trade position in the campaign has complicated the setting of a clear future trade agenda. More recently,

China in WTO Dispute Settlement

Forbes did an interesting two part series (actually, there may be more parts coming, I'm not sure) on China in WTO dispute settlement. From part 1: Facing a distressed export sector and rising protectionism amid the global economic crisis, the Chinese government will get more comfortable and aggressive

The Scope of GATT Article XX

From para. 7.498 of the Colombia - Ports of Entry WTO panel decision, circulated Monday: In any cases where a measure may violate a particular provision of the WTO Agreements, a number of exceptions – notably those included in Article XX of the GATT 1994 – allow WTO Members to justify a

Another Alcohol Case?

WTO dispute settlement is littered with tax discrimination cases related to alcohol products. This article makes me think another might be on the way: Taiwan consumers welcome the imminent return of rice wine that carries a much lower price tag but provides much better quality and safety. They will soon

The Future of China's IP Protection

A couple months again, Bryan noted that press reports to the contrary, perhaps the U.S. did not actually do very well in the China - IPRs dispute. An Economist article from this week suggests that change may come despite the outcome in that case: Chinese firms are also increasingly seeking

Protection from the Sun

No, not sunscreen. Economist Donald Boudreaux has something else in mind, as he makes the following point to argue against protectionism: So do you, Mr. Protectionist, also believe that Uncle Sam should force us Americans to pay a high tariff on sunlight before we are allowed to use it? After

Kirk Address at Georgetown Law

USTR Ron Kirk was a guest at Georgetown University Law Center yesterday, and his prepared comments are online. He talks about a new approach to trade, but it appears that the only news are that the campaign positions on trade have been buried.