The Archives

The collection of all scholarly commentary on law, economics, and more

Showing archive for:  “International Trade”

The Mounting Costs of Antidumping Laws: Time for Action?

In a 2015 Heritage Foundation Backgrounder, I argued for a reform of the United States antidumping (AD) law, which allows for the imposition of additional tariffs on “unfairly” low-priced imports.  Although the original justification for American AD law was to prevent anticompetitive predation by foreign producers, I explained that the law as currently designed and ... The Mounting Costs of Antidumping Laws: Time for Action?

Combatting Anticompetitive Market Distortions: An Update

I have previously written at this site (see here, here, and here) and elsewhere (see here, here, and here) about the problem of anticompetitive market distortions (ACMDs), government-supported (typically crony capitalist) rules that weaken the competitive process, undermine free trade, slow economic growth, and harm consumers.  On May 17, the Heritage Foundation hosted a presentation ... Combatting Anticompetitive Market Distortions: An Update

The Essential Facility of Obama’s Competition Policy

It appears that White House’s zeal for progressive-era legal theory has … progressed (or regressed?) further. Late last week President Obama signed an Executive Order that nominally claims to direct executive agencies (and “strongly encourages” independent agencies) to adopt “pro-competitive” policies. It’s called Steps to Increase Competition and Better Inform Consumers and Workers to Support ... The Essential Facility of Obama’s Competition Policy

Rationally Defeating Cronyism in the Boston TNC Suit

On March 31, a federal judge gave the city of Boston six months to rectify the disparities between the way it treats Transportation Network Companies (“TNC”) (such as Uber and Lyft) and taxicab companies. This comes pursuant to an order by US District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton in a suit filed by members of ... Rationally Defeating Cronyism in the Boston TNC Suit

Outstanding New Global Antitrust Institute Filing on Indian Discussion Paper Regarding Standard Essential Patents

Over the past year, the Global Antitrust Institute (GAI) at George Mason University School of Law has released some of the most thoughtful critiques of foreign governments’ proposed new guidance documents on competition law.  The GAI’s March 31 comments (see here) in response to the India Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion’s Discussion Paper on ... Outstanding New Global Antitrust Institute Filing on Indian Discussion Paper Regarding Standard Essential Patents

Anticompetitive Regulations Highlighted in the 2016 Heritage Index of Economic Freedom (Also, the U.S. Continues to Slip)

The Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom is an annual data compilation that provides an ordinal ranking of economic freedom in nations throughout the world, based on such country-specific measures of economic liberty as commitment to limited government, strong protection of private property, openness to global trade and financial flows, and sensible regulation. The 2016 ... Anticompetitive Regulations Highlighted in the 2016 Heritage Index of Economic Freedom (Also, the U.S. Continues to Slip)

Geoffrey Manne at Cato to Discuss the Federal Circuit’s Error in ClearCorrect

Tomorrow, Geoffrey Manne, Executive Director of the International Center for Law & Economics, will be a panelist at the Cato Institute’s Policy Forum, “The ITC and Digital Trade: The ClearCorrect Decision.”  He will be joined by Sapna Kumar, Associate Professor, University of Houston Law Center and Shara Aranoff, Of Counsel, Covington and Burling LLP, and ... Geoffrey Manne at Cato to Discuss the Federal Circuit’s Error in ClearCorrect

The Federal Circuit Fails to Connect Clearly with Modern Technology by Protecting Infringing Data Imports

Today, in ClearCorrect Operating, LLC v. International Trade Commission, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit held that electronic transmissions of digital data from abroad do not involve the importation of “articles” for purposes of Section 337 of the Tariff Act (“Section 337,” 19 U.S.C. § 1337), thereby stripping the U.S. International Trade ... The Federal Circuit Fails to Connect Clearly with Modern Technology by Protecting Infringing Data Imports

The Case Against Antitrust Challenges to Standard Essential Patent “Abuses” Intensifies – Will DOJ and the FTC Finally Get the Message?

Applying antitrust law to combat “hold-up” attempts (involving demands for “anticompetitively excessive” royalties) or injunctive actions brought by standard essential patent (SEP) owners is inherently problematic, as explained by multiple scholars (see here and here, for example).  Disputes regarding compensation to SEP holders are better handled in patent infringement and breach of contract lawsuits, and ... The Case Against Antitrust Challenges to Standard Essential Patent “Abuses” Intensifies – Will DOJ and the FTC Finally Get the Message?

Suprema v. ITC: The Case for Chevron Deference

Recently, the en banc Federal Circuit decided in Suprema, Inc. v. ITC that the International Trade Commission could properly prevent the importation of articles that infringe under an indirect liability theory. The core of the dispute in Suprema was whether § 337 of the Tariff Act’s prohibition against “importing articles that . . . infringe ... Suprema v. ITC: The Case for Chevron Deference

Commissioner Joshua Wright: Colleague, Gentleman, Scholar, Public Servant

I join all the others in congratulating Professor Wright on his accomplishments at the FTC. As both an academic and government official myself, I’ve long benefited from Dr. Wright’s work in academia and in government. I’ve also greatly enjoyed a ring-side view of the his upbeat and thoughtful manner for constructively engaging the diverse perspectives ... Commissioner Joshua Wright: Colleague, Gentleman, Scholar, Public Servant

Josh Wright, Commissioner-Provocateur

Much ink will be spilled at this site lauding Commissioner Joshua (Josh) Wright’s many contributions to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and justly so. I will focus narrowly on Josh Wright as a law and economics “provocateur,” who used his writings and speeches to “stir the pot” and subject the FTC’s actions to a law ... Josh Wright, Commissioner-Provocateur