Dear colleague 

Trade freedom around the world indicate that trade freedom in the world has remained constant or regressed slightly since 2011. The lack of improvement is regrettable because countries with the most trade freedom have the highest per capita gross domestic product, the lowest incidence of hunger, and the cleanest environments.

The U.S. needs to resume its global leadership on trade freedom by encouraging a successful, prompt conclusion to the Doha Round; implementing the free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea; and eliminating U.S. trade barriers.

However, the United States need not wait for long, uncertain negotiations to reduce its own self-destructive trade barriers. Congress can take the first steps by eliminating:

Tariffs on imported shoes and clothing. These tariffs, which have been called America’s most regressive tax, cost Americans billions of dollars per year.[6]

Restrictions on sugar imports. Sugar tariffs are the modern version of the Molasses and Sugar Acts, which contributed to the American Revolution. They should be as offensive to lawmakers today as they were to colonists in the 1700s.

Job-killing anti-dumping laws. These laws reduce competition and increase the price of inputs for U.S. producers.[7] At the very least, Congress should require the government to conduct a cost-benefit analysis before considering any new anti-dumping duties.

“Buy American” laws. Requirements for governments at the state, local, and federal levels to use domestically produced products when lower-priced imports are available increase government spending, leading to higher taxes or larger budget deficits. They also indirectly limit opportunities for competitive U.S. companies to sell their products to other governments.

The Merchant Marine Act of 1920 (Jones Act) and the Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886. These laws require ships moving from one U.S. port to another to be U.S.-made and U.S.-crewed, thereby artificially increasing cargo transportation costs.

Regards 

Thank you, Saeed Al Rashid for your very informative response.

Dear Colleague,

your question is very important. I tried to analyze some of the issues you mentioned on the background of the book I edited which focused on China but in the global economy and trade with particular attention to Non-Trade Concerns. This research on NTCs try to shed a new light on issues such as good governance, human rights, right to water, rights to food, social, economic and cultural rights, labour rights, access to knowledge, public health, social welfare, consumer interests, climate change, energy, environmental protection and sustainable development, product safety, food safety and security. All these values are directly affected by the global expansion of world trade and should be upheld to balance the excesses of globalization.

CHINA’S INFLUENCE ON NON-TRADE CONCERNS IN INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC LAW, Sub-title: Climate Change, Sustainable Development and the Protection of Environment, Social, Economic and Cultural Rights, Labour Rights, Public Health, Food and Product Safety, Consumer Protection, Global Law and Sustainable Development Book Series, Routledge Publishing (London/New-York), ISBN 978-1-4094-4848-8, September 2016, pp. 1 – 584

https://www.routledge.com/Chinas-Influence-on-Non-Trade-Concerns-in-International-Economic-Law/Farah-Cima/p/book/9781409448488

Cover, Table of Contents, Forewords, Introduction and Acknowledgements can be downloaded at the following website:

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2876883

I am currently working on other books and special issues that will research on other angles and aspects that are not covered by this book, in particular on the concept of liberalism from the perspective of political philosophy, law and economics. If you want to receive updates about this work, send me your email address and I will add you to my mailing list or you can follow me in researchgate, academia or ssrn.

Those are some links related to my work which might be interesting for you:

gLAWcal - Global Law Initiatives for Sustainable Development: http://www.glawcal.org.uk

Twitter: @gLAWcal

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Glawcal-Global-Law-Initiatives-for-Sustainable-Development/179389428886454?ref=hl

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/3248124?trk=tyah&trkInfo=tarId%3A1413030995733%2Ctas%3Aglawcal%2Cidx%3A1-1-1

SSRN Author's Page: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=629289

Academia: https://wvu.academia.edu/PaoloDavideFarah

Research-Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Paolo_Farah?ev=hdr_xprf

Personal Blog: http://paolofarah.wordpress.com

Regards