Standards not Tariffs: The complaint against China and some other countries is that production practices are more highly distorted by government policies than in the West. The Biden Administration and former President Donald Trump look to tariffs to solve the problem. By contrast, the EU erects nontariff border measures to address such externalities, such as its EUDR (deforestation) and CBAM (carbon) policies to block imports that are not produced equivalently with its domestic rules. Tariffs are simpler, and more straight forward, but less precise in addressing the actual problem. Skinny Pigs: An EU study on reducing dependence on imported protein meals calls for more coupled support (e.g. oilseed subsidies) directed at the 7.8 mill...
Weighing in on strategic realignment
WPI’s team was retained by the governing board of a U.S. industry organization to review a decision, reached by vote, to invest significant assets into the development and management of an export trading company. WPI’s team conducted a formal review of this decision and concluded that the current level of market saturation would limit the benefits of the investment. Based on WPI’s analysis and recommended actions, the board subsequently reversed its decision and undertook a strategic planning effort to identify more impactful investments. On behalf of numerous clients, WPI has not only assisted in identifying strategic paths but also advised their implementation.
A federal appeals court paused a USITC ruling against President Trump’s use of Section 122 to impose 10-percent global tariffs. A bipartisan group of 80 House members asked USTR to investigate specialty crop imports from Mexico for unfair trade practices. India notified the WT...