The U.K. Ventures into the Great (World Trade) Unknown
While most discussion since the Brexit vote has focused on how the UK will negotiate the terms of its new trading relationship with the EU, much less has been said about the rest of the world.
Category: International Trade
China and US May Be Heading Toward WTO Case over Steel Dumping and Tariffs
China and the United States are set to square off in a suit before the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding a brewing dispute over steel imports. China, along with several other countries, has been exporting large quantities of corrosion-resistant steel to the United States at rates domestic producers cannot match. As a result, the US has raised tariffs and may take anti-dumping measures. Meanwhile, China has threatened suit if the US does this.
Bad Brexit Timing for African Exporters
One would certainly be forgiven if, like us, you found yourself doing a double take at the news that Britain’s public voted in favour of leaving the EU. This is because shortly before the Brexit polls closed, opinion polls were showing the ‘remain’ vote marginally ahead.
WTO: The U.S. Must Really not Like Seung Wha Chang
A U.S. decision to block the reappointment of Seung Wha Chang, a South Korean member of the appellate body of the World Trade Organization, has put at risk the independence and credibility of the WTO’s dispute settlement mechanism — the crown jewels of the multilateral trading system. After the de facto collapse of the Doha round of talks on further trade liberalization the U.S. move is a serious blow for the WTO.
Who is Trashing the TPP and Who Can Save It?
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is under siege, with presidential candidates on both sides of the aisle voicing increasingly protectionist positions. As the general election gets into full swing this fall, the anti-trade rhetoric promises to reach fever pitch, taking down TPP in the process.
TTIP: So Much for So Little
The future of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the US and European Union seems bleak. Beset by doubts and stumbling alongside the UK’s referendum on EU membership, the TTIP is starting to look like an awful lot of effort for unremarkable gains.
When an FTA Falls Short
The South Korea–China Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which entered into effect in December 2015, has proved disappointing. The pact excludes too much economic activity and does too little to propel growth in both countries. As a result, South Korea and China have missed an opportunity to set a new precedent for East Asian economic integration.
Can Obama Save the TPP?
President Barack Obama’s trip to Asia this week highlights how a key element of his would-be legacy is hanging by a precariously thin thread: the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
Maybe India isn’t Interested in American-Style Trade Rules
On 2 May 2016, US President Barack Obama published an op-ed in the Washington Post in an attempt to bolster support for the highly controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The TPP has become a political football in the US election primaries, with all of the leading candidates for President expressing their opposition to it.
Obama’s main argument was that the US should be writing the trade rules of the 21st century, rather than ‘countries like China’.
Intra-Regional Trade Lagging in South Asia
Recent decades have witnessed a growing trend towards regional economic integration. As of February 2016, some 625 notifications of regional trade agreements had been received by the WTO and of these, 419 were in force. However, South Asia is still lagging behind. It remains the least integrated region in the world.
