AGOA a goer in 2015?

The United States’ African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) was enacted in 2000 to help diversify Africa’s export production, expand trade and investment between the United States and sub-Saharan Africa, with a view to generally supporting Africa’s economic progress. Because AGOA is a unilateral tariff preference programme as opposed to a reciprocal free trade agreement, the US can and does …

USA combined duties not WTO Compatible

USA combined duties not WTO CompatibleIn March 2011 the World Trade Organisation’s (“WTO”) Appellate Body ruled that the United States of America (“USA”) illegally imposed simultaneous anti-dumping and countervailing duties on several products originating from the Peoples Republic of China (“China”). Specifically the Appellate Body ruled that the USA contravened section 19.3 of the WTO Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing …

African International Law showcased

The Society of International Economic Law (SIEL) is an organization that represents academically minded practitioners in the field of international economic law. The Society’s African chapter was re-launched at the Society’s biannual conference held in Barcelona, Spain in July 2010. The African chapter’s first conference will be held in South Africa in May 2011. The conference’s goal is to bring …

Firm engages European Parliamentarians

The European Parliament has recently been on a fact finding mission in South Africa. This fact finding exercise was conducted by a delegation from its Committee on International Trade (INTA). The delegation was headed by Robert Sturdy, vice chair of the INTA, who commented that it was the first occasion ever for the committee to be briefed by private sector …

New Assistance Programme for the SA Clothing and Textile Industry – A Stitch in Time?

South Africa currently has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world. While the South African economy fared reasonably well during the recent worldwide financial crisis, it still shed around one million jobs. Job creation is therefore now even more than before a top priority for the South African government. Traditionally the South African clothing and textile industry was …

Investment Arbitration & Soap Opera Fused

In recent months the four year old ICSID investment arbitration between European investors and the South African government, coined the Foresti case, was brought to a practically final but legally inconclusive finale.The original 2006 claims were brought in terms of bilateral investment treaties (BITS) between South Africa on one hand, and Italy and Luxembourg, on the other. The investors hold …

Regulatory Responses & the Global Food Crisis

Recently wheat export bans in Russia and food riots in Mozambique have evidenced that the global food crisis has definitely not abated and is actually more pervasive than previously imagined. Hilton Lambert has collaborated with the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in examining the Southern African policy responses to the crisis and the role that the trading system can …

SPS Measures at issue in 7th Annual African WTO Moot Court

The Annual African Trade Moot is a joint initiative of the University of the Western Cape and the University of Pretoria involving teams from law faculties from across the continent. There has been much interest in SPS law recently with South Africa having chaired the recent WTO dispute settlement panel adjudication on apple trade between New Zealand and Australia. Drawing …

Society for International Economic Law Supported

The Society of International Economic Law (SIEL) is an organization that represents academically minded practitioners in the field of international economic law. The Society’s biannual conference will be taking place in Barcelona, Spain from 8-10 July 2010. Hilton Lambert retains an active role in several law schools in fostering young talent in the trade law field and thus supports the …

Trading up in Smoke?

Indonesia has filed for a WTO panel against the United States (US) after the introduction of a seemingly benign piece of US legislation has slashed Indonesian cigarette exports to the US from US$ 15 million per annum to zero. The Indonesian exports have simply gone up in smoke. The US legislation that is at issue is found in the Family …