Has the united states killed the world trade organization? evidence from beyond the dispute settlement mechanism
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
The US’ boycott of the WTO’s Appellate Body has been extensively analyzed by the literature. The authors have sought to understand its motivations and implications by investigating the recent American behavior toward the Dispute Settlement Mechanism. By doing so, this literature has neglected other facets of the WTO and has attributed a disproportionate relevance to the boycott, which was interpreted as a complete disengagement from the system, and a death sentence for the WTO. In this paper, we aim to address this gap by investigating American behavior in the WTO as a whole. As a result, it has become evident that the US, despite criticisms of the DSM, has kept engaged in the WTO. Thus, we conclude that its commitment to rules- based trade is stronger than portrayed, promoting an optimistic outlook on WTO’s future.
Article Details
References
AHN, D. et al. An Empirical Analysis on the WTO Safeguard Actions. Journal of World Trade, London, v. 52, n. 2, p. 4155-459, May 2018.
BACCHUS, J. Might Unmakes Right: The American Assault on the Rule of Law in World Trade. CIGI Papers, Waterloo, n. 173, p. 1-40, May 2019.
BOHANES, J. Developing WTO Members as Users and Targets of Anti-dumping Policy. Global Trade and Customs Journal, Washington, v. 16, n. 10, p. 551-536, Jan. 2021.
BOWEN, T. R.; BROZ, J. L. The Domestic Political-Economy of the WTO Crisis: Lessons for Preserving Multilateralism. SSRN Scholarly Paper, Rochester, p. 1-38, Oct. 2022.
CARNEIRO, C. L.; NOGUEIRA, T.; REZENDE, F. C. Political Determinants of Assertiveness in the World Trade Organization (1995-2014). In: ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN POLITICAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION, 112., 2016, Philadelphia.
DAUGRIDAS, K.; MORTENSON, J. D. Contemporary Practice of the United States Relating to International Law. American Journal of International Law, Washington, v. 110, n. 3, p. 554-595, July 2016.
HOLZER, K. Addressing Tensions and Avoiding Disputes: Specific Trade Concerns in the TBT Committee. Global Trade and Customs Journal, Washington, v. 14, n. 2, p. 102-116, Jan. 2019.
HOPEWELL, K. When the Hegemon Goes Rogue: Leadership amid the US Assault on the Liberal Trading Order. International Affairs, London, v. 97, n. 4, p. 1025-1043, July 2021.
HORN, H.; MAVROIDIS, P. C.; WIJKSTROM, E. In the Shadow of the DSU: Addressing Specific Trade Concerns in the WTO SPS and TBT Committees. Journal of World Trade, London, v. 47, n. 4, p. 729-760, Jan. 2013.
JONES, K. Populism, Globalization, and the Prospects for Restoring the WTO. Politics and Governance, Lisbon, v. 11, n. 1, p. 181-192, Mar. 2023.
LI, X.; ZHANG, X. Is the WTO Dispute Settlement System a Disaster for the US? An Evaluation of US–China WTO Disputes. Journal of Chinese Political Science, Houston, v. 27, n. 3, p. 567-584, Jan. 2022.
LINCICOME, S.; OBREGON, A. C. The (Updated) Case for Free Trade. Washington, 2022. Available on: https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep40429. Access on: Jul. 10, 2024.
MARUYAMA, W. H. Can the Appellate Body Be Saved? Journal of World Trade, London, v. 55, n. 2, p. 197-230, Mar. 2021.
MENISHIKOVA, A. M. Position of Joe Biden’s Administration on the World Trade Organization. Herald of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, v. 92, n. 6, p. S529-S533, Sep. 2022.
PETERSMANN, E. U. How Should WTO Members React to Their WTO Crises? World Trade Review, Geneva, v. 18, n. 3, p. 503-525, May 2019.
THE WHITE HOUSE. Remarks by President Trump in listening session with representatives from the steel and aluminum industry. Washington D.C., 2018. Available on: https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-listening-session-representatives-steel-aluminum-industry/. Access on: Jul. 10, 2024.
THORSTENSEN, V.; VIEIRA, A. C. WTO Case Law on TBT and SPS: It Is Time to Review Some Concepts. In: AMARAL JÚNIOR, A.; PIRES, L. M. O.; CARNEIRO, C. L. The WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism: A Developing Country Perspective. New York: Springer International Publishing, 2019. p. 99-126.
US SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE. Testimony of Robert E. Lighthizer Before the US Senate Committee on Finance – March 12, 2019. Washington, 2019. Available on: https://finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/ARL%20Finance%20Testimony%20March%202019%203.12.2019%20FINAL.pdf. Access on: Jul. 10, 2024.
WOLFE, R. Reforming WTO Conflict Management: Why and How to Improve the Use of ‘Specific Trade Concerns’. Journal of International Economic Law, Oxford, v. 23, n. 4, p. 817-839, Dec. 2020.