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.
“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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Do Food Standards Inhibit Trade in Ugly Produce?
“Ugly” produce is a local trend serving a niche market. But if it does go global, there are a number of changes that would need to be made to standards at international, national and retailer levels on how we define what food “should” look like.
China’s Industrial Policies and Trade Rules – If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Join ‘Em?
Discussions are now underway as to whether EU antitrust policies need to be relaxed in order to allow greater latitude to meet the challenge posed by Chinese mega-firms.
A High Wire Act: The Trump Administration and Section 232
The current administration’s use of Section 232 to impose trade-restrictive measures on imports of steel and aluminum has become the source of increasing domestic discontent among steel-using industries, farmers who are the target of retaliatory tariffs, and Members of Congress who are reconsidering having delegated powers over trade to the President. It has also put WTO dispute settlement to an unwelcome test.