Recent episodes such as the Earls Restaurant issue over so-called “humane beef” illustrate the impact of private sector standards, rules and best practices on international trade, outside the realm of governments and free-trade agreements. These industry-driven rules and “regulations” are having an increasing impact on international business. See my commentary, 13 May 2016, in the… Read More »
Below is a Brief filed with the Standing Committee on International Trade on its examination of the Trans-Pacific Trade Agreement. HOUSE OF COMMONS STANDING COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE TRANS-PACIFIC TRADE AGREEMENT – WATCHING WASHINGTON LAWRENCE L. HERMAN Herman & Associates Toronto 13 April 2016 While the Standing Committee examines the intricacies of the Trans-Pacific Partnership… Read More »
As Canada becomes more and more assertive in international markets, particularly the expanding export reach of our SMEs, we need to consider aspects of our strategy aimed at dismantling foreign trade barriers. Preferential trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) and the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) are one way but there… Read More »
The release of the TPP text has spawned a vast cyber-literature, as law firms and consultants compete to provide the hottest insights on what’s really in the agreement and its many hidden traps. There are many. This note doesn’t try to do that. Rather, it looks at the structure of the agreement to shed some… Read More »
Here is the link to my op-ed piece in the Financial Post, 8 October 2015, explaining what the implications are if Canada was to reject the TPP Agreement. We would retain all our MFN rights under the WTO Agreement and all the advantages under the NAFTA – but we would lose access to the better… Read More »
The trade dispute between Canada and the US over American country of origin labelling requirements (referred to everywhere as “COOL”) is entering its eighth year. It presents a history of delay, frustration and prevarication that, sad to say, tarnishes the utility of the WTO dispute settlement system. Canada took the matter to the WTO back… Read More »
Supply managed industries – such as the dairy producers – are largely centred in Eastern Canada and concern a very specific market segment. There are other parts of Canada’s agricultural industry, such as the beef, pork, grains and oilseeds, that are negatively impacted by Canada’s steadfast refusal to reduce supply-managed protectionism in international negotiations, notably… Read More »
I confess I’m not a fan of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. I find much of their stuff to be ideologically-driven and one-sided. I’m put off by their anti-free trade rhetoric and their congenital hostility toward the WTO and liberalized trade generally. As a believer in the progressive development of international law, I don’t… Read More »