La riduzione delle barriere tariffarie ha spostato il dibattito tra gli esperti di commercio internazionale sulle misure protezionistiche alternative (regole d'origine, proprietà intellettuale etc.). inoltre durante gli ultimi dieci anni la proliferazione degli accordi commerciali regionali ha acuito i timori di coloro che ritengono che la strada verso la liberalizzazione dei flussi commerciali internazionali debba passare attraverso l'OMC. questa tesi analizza il nesso tra i rimedi di difesa commerciale, le barriere tecniche al commercio e gli accordi commerciali regionali mediante un esercizio di mappatura di 53 accordi. tale mappatura è sviluppata mediante l'impiego di tabelle che riassumono il contenuto di ogni accordo per quanto concerne le barriere tecniche al commercio e i rimedi di difesa commerciale. Inoltre il presente lavoro effettua una ricognizione della letteratura empirica e teorica sull'argomento fornendo infine un contributo originale mediante l'utilizzo di un modello probit per l'analisi dei dati raccolti. i risultati ottenuti in parte confermano ed in parte smentiscono, a volte anche in maniera contro-intuitiva, alcuni fatti stilizzati dalla letteratura. / The reduction of tariff duties at multilateral and regional level has shifted the focus of international trade debate to other beyond-the-border protectionist measures (i.e. rules of origin, intellectual property, trade remedies etc.). Further during the last ten years the proliferation of regionalism has increased more and more the concern in the supporters of multilateral trading system. This thesis explores the linkages among trade remedies, technical barriers to trade and regional trade agreements. This analysis is performed through the creation of 4 benchmarking exercises (templates) mapping the provisions relevant to antidumping measures, countervailing duties, safeguards measures and technical barriers to trade included in 53 regional trade agreements. The aim of this thesis is to overview both theoretically and empirically the existing relevant literature in order to supply an original contribution to the understanding of the subject. The collection and the processing of the data offer some insight and, sometimes, counterintuitive findings about the modelling of trade remedies and technical barriers provisions in the regional trade agreements.

University of Macau / Faculty of Law

University of Macau / Faculty of Law

Tesis (magíster en derecho internacional, inversiones y comercio) / Article 56 of China’s Anti-dumping Regulation provides that China may adopt corresponding measures whenever another country discriminatorily imposes anti-dumping measures against imports originating in the People’s Republic of China. This retaliatory language, which dates back to Article 40 of China’s Old Regulations, makes China special since there is no other country’s anti-dumping regulation making such an explicit retaliatory message. AlthoughChinahas not invokedArticle 56 inany of itsanti-dumping investigations,retaliationhas been put inpractice.An example isthe Fasteners Case. By doing an analysis at the light of the WTO Agreements, this thesis concludes that Article 56 is inconsistent with article 23.1 of the Dispute Settlement Understanding, article 18.1 of the Anti-dumping Agreement and Articles I:1 and X:3 lit. (a) of the GATT 1994

I evaluate four possible approaches the United States may take to address China's practice of undervaluing the renminbi: 1) a challenge under Article XV of the GATT and the associated IMF provisions; 2) countervailing duties; 3) antidumping measures; and 4) safeguard measures. I conclude that the first three approaches are unlikely to succeed; there are a number of legal and political obstacles to the pursuit of these remedies. While the current WTO safeguards regime is likely insufficient, a new safeguards regime can--and should--be developed. I review and critique Dani Rodrik's proposal for a new safeguards regime and set out my own basic blueprint for a significantly expanded safeguards regime, emphasizing that flexibility in the realm of international trade law would help to secure overall stability in international trade itself. In order to be effective shock absorbers, safeguards must become far more flexible.

I evaluate four possible approaches the United States may take to address China's practice of undervaluing the renminbi: 1) a challenge under Article XV of the GATT and the associated IMF provisions; 2) countervailing duties; 3) antidumping measures; and 4) safeguard measures. I conclude that the first three approaches are unlikely to succeed; there are a number of legal and political obstacles to the pursuit of these remedies. While the current WTO safeguards regime is likely insufficient, a new safeguards regime can--and should--be developed. I review and critique Dani Rodrik's proposal for a new safeguards regime and set out my own basic blueprint for a significantly expanded safeguards regime, emphasizing that flexibility in the realm of international trade law would help to secure overall stability in international trade itself. In order to be effective shock absorbers, safeguards must become far more flexible.

Cette thèse s’intéresse aux mécanismes de règlement des différends commerciaux internationaux, plus particulièrement à celui du Chapitre 19 de l’ALÉ et de l’ALÉNA. Combinant les approches du droit et de la science politique, nous nous intéressons plus particulièrement au concept de délégation en Relations internationales. Dans cette optique, cette recherche se demande si la délégation juridique qui est accordée au Chapitre 19 de l’ALÉ et de l’ALÉNA inclut, en pratique, le pouvoir d’interpréter les règles de façon à créer de nouvelles obligations pour les États. Cette création de nouvelles obligations concerne la capacité des panélistes du Chapitre 19 de se prononcer sur la justesse des décisions administratives et sur l’interprétation des législations nationales (faible niveau de déférence). Afin d’opérationnaliser notre recherche, nous suggérons une reconstruction en trois niveaux du concept de délégation juridique internationale, dont les deux dimensions proposées sont l’octroi d’autorité (qui concerne les engagements ex ante des États) et l’indépendance du mécanisme de règlement des différends (qui a trait à la portée des engagements ex post des États). Suivant cette conceptualisation, nous avons effectué une analyse du contenu de 59 décisions canado-américaines qui ont été rendues sous le Chapitre 19 de l’ALÉ et de l’ALÉNA durant la période allant de 1989 à 2008. Nos résultats de recherche dévoilent que les panélistes du Chapitre 19 de l’ALÉ et de l’ALÉNA exercent généralement un niveau de déférence très semblable de cas en cas, ce niveau se trouvant quelque part entre la déférence forte et la déférence moyenne. Toutefois, dans environ 30% des cas, les décisions présentent, à différents degrés, de la déférence faible. Nos données ont également identifié la présence d’un développement modéré d’un mode de raisonnement indépendant sous le Chapitre 19 de l’ALÉ et de l’ALÉNA. Nos résultats de recherche témoignent alors d’une certaine indépendance des groupes spéciaux et d’un pouvoir de créer de nouvelles obligations pour les États, car les panels peuvent aller au-delà du simple contrôle juridictionnel en choisissant d’interpréter les lois et d’émettre des jugements qui vont à l’encontre des décisions administratives.