WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION

USTR’s annual report on mainland China’s compliance with its World Trade Organisation accession commitments details complaints on a number of issues the United States wants to address in a phase two trade agreement. More

The European Commission has presented a proposal that seeks to allow the EU to enforce international trade rules in circumstances where the World Trade Organization (“WTO”) is no longer able to render binding dispute settlement decisions. The proposal has been presented as a reaction to the blockage of the operation of the WTO Appellate Body by the United States. Moreover, the Commission has also created the Office of the Chief Trade Enforcement Officer. More

The Trump administration’s on-going refusal to confirm World Trade Organisation Appellate Body judges will result in a lack of a quorum for that body on 10 December. In response, various parties are trying to mediate the crisis. More

In a recent CNN-Business editorial, Sens. Grassley (Republican-Iowa) and Wyden (Democrat-Oregon) criticised that mainland China has self-designated as a developing country “to shirk WTO commitments in critical areas such as agriculture and illegal subsidies”, failed to meet its obligation to report domestic subsidies, and instituted too many cybersecurity requirements on information and communication technology. More