Adding Sweeteners to Softwood Lumber: The WTO-NAFTA “Spaghetti Bowl” Is Cooking

Authors

Joost H. B. Pauwelyn, Duke Law SchoolFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2006

Abstract

With the Doha round in trouble, the so-called "spaghetti bowl" of multilateral trade rules and proliferating regional trade deals, is, once again, prominently on the radar screen of the international trade community. Perfect examples of this image are the longstanding US-Canada softwood lumber and US-Mexico sweetener disputes. Both trade spats, extensively litigated in NAFTA and the WTO, are close to reaching a climax. Fueling the suspense is that the WTO and NAFTA may reach different results.

Citation

Joost H. B. Pauwelyn, Adding Sweeteners to Softwood Lumber: The WTO-NAFTA “Spaghetti Bowl” Is Cooking, 9 Journal of International Economic Law 1-10 (2006)