Is WTO Reform Necessary?
When the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was first agreed by 23 original contracting parties in 1947, there were no guarantees that the rules would endure. Today, WTO membership stands at 164 countries -- representing collectively, more than 98 percent of global trade. But for an institution to endure, it must remain relevant.
read more
The Global Space Economy is Taking Off Like a Rocket
Until recently, the gains from commercial use of space manifested primarily in the growing use of satellites that enable precise navigational maps in your car and the dish on your roof to channel satellite television into your home. A new era is dawning in which private companies routinely launch payloads into space. We’re a long way off from having the framework of rules we might need here on Earth to accommodate the take off of the global space industry.
read more
The U.S. Beef Industry Will Take NAFTA Well Done
The implementation of NAFTA has allowed U.S. beef trade to flourish, and the efficient supply chains developed under NAFTA have also helped the U.S. beef industry become more competitive in Asia.
read more
Trade Trends in 8 Charts
Which Countries Export and Import the Most? Top two exporters? Top two importers? #1: China #1: United States #2: United States #2: China Where is the Most Economic Dynamism? It’s in Asia. In terms of purchasing power parity, two things are clear from this chart. Over 25 years, China’s growth has been profound, reshaping […]
read more
From the Bible to Chairman Mao’s Quotations: How Trade Agreements Can Promote Global Book Publishing
The popularity of American novels, textbooks, and scholarly works is driving efforts to translate and sell U.S.-published books in countries around the world. Digital publishing offers access to many more consumers beyond our borders. The main challenge to global expansion is the need to promote modern copyright regimes in the countries where publishers seek to sell more books
read more
Trade Promotion Authority: Driving Trade Deals on the Fast Track to Congressional Approval
A May 17 NAFTA deadline has been in the news. That's because Congressional leaders have advised the Trump administration that the deal needs to get done soon in order to have a vote on NAFTA 2.0 in this Congress under so-called “fast track” voting procedures. There are all sorts of steps on the timeline built into the Trade Promotion Authority legislation (TPA) for expedited approval of trade agreements. Here’s a short version of the history, context, and essentials of how it all works.
read more
Sharing Trade Powers
Here’s your annotated guide to the timeline and procedures for “fast track” approvals of U.S. trade deals by Congress.
read more
Patents aren’t a Pat on the Back, They are the Backbone of Life-Enhancing Discoveries
The National Inventors museum inducted fifteen more members into its Hall of Fame. Among those honored were Marvin Caruthers, Arogyaswami Paulraj, and Stan Honey. You may not have heard these names, but you've benefited from their inventions.
read more
Investor-State Dispute Settlement: Who Uses It?
With over 2,500 international investment agreements in force and only a total of 817 known investor-state dispute settlement arbitrations, it's safe to say that the majority of these agreements have operated without a single dispute.
read more
Mapping Investment Agreements
International investment agreements have been a remarkably successful policy innovation: today, there are over 3,000 of them in force worldwide.
read moreWEEKLY E-MAIL
