TradeVistas | COVID-19 is adding to the concerns about America’s shortage of farm guest workers

A Shortage of Farm Guest Workers Could Threaten America’s Harvest

Immigrants play an increasingly crucial role in our food system. Travel restrictions and government closures due to COVID-19 are adding to the concerns about America’s shortage of farm workers who use the H-2A visa.

TradeVistas | humanitarian exemptions in trade with Iran during Covid-19

Economic Sanctions Exempt Humanitarian Trade

Iran is one of the countries hardest hit by COVID-19, having emerged as an early hotspot outside China. While economic sanctions against Iran remain, humanitarian exemptions enable trade in essential goods like food and medicine as a part of health diplomacy. Learn how lessons from past sanctions can be applied to the global pandemic response.

TradeVistas | services trade during the coronavirus pandemic

With Zoom, We Are All Trading in Services

During the Covid-19 pandemic, technology keeps the world connected and allows global trade in services to continue. The WTO outlines four modes of delivery for services trade.

TradeVistas | Irish music copyright law

Fiddling with Irish Music Royalties in the WTO

How the Irish Music Rights Organization took on U.S. copyright law in the WTO – and won – yet your favorite pub is still allowed to play Irish music for you for free.

TradeVistas | Special 301 and intellectual property rights

“Special 301”: How the U.S. Monitors Intellectual Property Protections in International Trade

Special 301 rules direct the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to identify foreign countries that don’t do enough to protect intellectual property rights. Involvement from the private sector is also critical to prevent intellectual property theft.

"Free" Trade and Modern Slavery | TradeVistas

“Free” Trade and Modern Slavery

Modern day slavery is more common than you might think. Trafficking in humans is the worst form of illicit trade. Wherever the debate comes out on how to use trade agreements and policies to promote human rights, free trade must begin with free.

TradeVistas | building blocks of trade

Rule of Law is the Bedrock of Trade Agreements

The fundamental goal of any trade agreement is to promote and undergird government adherence to rule of law, which in turn enables private economic activity to thrive. When coupled with commitments to market access, individuals and companies are free to do business anywhere in the world.

Quota drawing (1)

Are Quotas Worse Than Tariffs?

With all the focus on tariffs these days, it is easy to overlook the return of another tool used to limit imports: quotas. Both quotas and tariffs are used to protect domestic industries by artificially raising prices in the domestic market. Their administration and effects, however, differ in specific ways.

Education for Africa: Technology Symbol African Woman Studying Learning Lesson

Have Trade “Preference” Programs Kept Up with the Times?

The concept of creating a generalized, non-reciprocal system of preferences for developing countries dates back to 1968. But enabling legitimate forms of discrimination has predictably had positive and negative consequences and there’s little economic data to demonstrate the programs have accrued significant benefits.

basketball

Four Ways Trade is Like March Madness

Trade policy is at a historical crossroads — a jump ball, as it were. As we enjoy the NCAA Tournament, let’s look at four similarities between trade and college basketball.