This chapter provides an overview of the legal obligations of the WTO/GATT system and certain related national, bilateral, and plurilateral arrangements. It is intended for economists and other social scientists who seek a concise and accessible introduction to the core legal obligations of the...

One of the most challenging tasks for international trade agreements is to distinguish protectionist regulation from legitimate regulatory policies. An important set of tools in this regard may be termed "regulatory consistency requirements." These include the national treatment obligation of...

A wide array of policy instruments can protect domestic firms against foreign competition. Regulatory measures that raise the costs of foreign firms relative to domestic firms are exceptionally wasteful protectionist devices, however, with deadweight costs that can greatly exceed those of...