Library of Congress: U.S. Trade Policy Research Guide
This research guide from the Library of Congress provides information on elements of trade policy, policy development process and participants, the effects of trade policies on trade and industry, and the place of the U.S. in the World Trade Organization. It links extensively to primary law sources and secondary sources for understanding U.S. trade policy.
Office of the United States Trade Representative
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is an agency of the Executive Office of the President that oversees trade negotiations with other countries, through an interagency structure that develops and coordinates U.S. trade policy, and frames issues for presidential decision. It is headed by the U.S. Trade Representative, a Cabinet member who serves as the president’s principal trade advisor, negotiator, and spokesperson on trade issues. Their web site provides texts of bilateral and regional free trade agreements among the U.S. and other countries, reports and publications, Federal Register notices, fact sheets, press releases, and op-eds produced by the Office of the United States Trade Representative.
U.S. International Trade Administration
The U.S. International Trade Administration is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce that promotes U.S. exports of nonagricultural U.S. services and goods. The mission of the Administration is to (1) provide information and support to help Americans select markets and products; (2) enforce U.S. trade laws and agreements; and (3) safeguard Americans from unfair competition. It is headed by the Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade and consists of four business units: U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service, Manufacturing and Services, Market Access and Compliance, and Import Administration.
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States Annotated (HTSA)
This United States International Trade Commission website contains a chapter-by-chapter listing of the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule and general notes.
U.S. Court of International Trade
The court has jurisdiction to decide any civil action against the United States, its officers, or its agencies arising out of any law pertaining to international trade. Website provides information about the court and access to slip opinions and judgments from 1999.
U.S. Government Export Portal
Information relating to exporting and international sales processes to assist American exporters. Includes information such as trade data by country, state, commodity, or year, and licensing and regulation.
U.S. International Trade Commission
The U.S. International Trade Commission is an independent quasi-judicial agency that provides trade expertise to the legislative and executive branches of government as well as adjudicates cases involving imports that allegedly infringe on intellectual property rights. The mission of the Commission is to (1) administer U.S. trade remedy laws within its mandate in a fair and objective manner; (2) provide the President, USTR, and Congress with independent analysis, information, and support on matters of tariffs, international trade, and U.S. competitiveness; and (3) maintain the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States. The Commission is headed by six Commissioners nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
HeinOnline: U.S. Court of International Trade decisions (available on campus and remotely with ASURITE)
HeinOnline provides image-based PDF copies of the United States Court of International Trade Reports: Cases Adjudged in the United States Court of International Trade. Coverage is 1980-2014.
United Nations Commission on International Trade Law
UNCITRAL was created by the U.N. General Assembly in 1966 for the purpose of harmonizing and unifying international trade law. Their web site has documents relating to the commission’s work in the following areas: international commercial arbitration and conciliation, international sale of goods, insolvency, international payments, international transport of goods, electronic commerce, procurement and infrastructure development, and penalties and liquidated damages. The web site also provides access to court decisions and arbitral awards relating to the Conventions and Model Laws from the work of UNCITRAL.
Bibliography of Recent Writings Related to the Work of UNCITRAL
The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) is the core legal body of the United Nations system in the field of international trade law. This UNCITRAL website contains the bibliography of recent writing related to the work of UNCITRAL, prepared yearly by the Secretariat.
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
Provides information relating to the integration of developing countries into the world economy, access to UNCTAD publications, access to statistical databases relating to economic data and development indicators, commodity prices, trade control measures, foreign direct investment, and other information.
HeinOnline: UNCITRAL collection (available on campus and remotely with ASURITE)
HeinOnline provides image-based PDF copies of United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) publications including legislative guides, conventions, and conferences.
World Trade Organization (WTO)
The WTO was created in 1995 by the Uruguay Round Agreements. Formerly, international trade (in goods only) was regulated by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and a small organization also known as GATT. GATT was incorporated into the much larger WTO, which regulates international trade in goods, services and intellectual property.
WTO Analytical Index - Guide to WTO Law and Practice
This index to WTO law is available on the WTOs web site. It is an authoritative guide to the interpretation and application of findings and decisions of WTO bodies.
WTO Database of Preferential Trade Arrangements
This WTO site is a database of preferential trade arrangements among WTO members.
WTO Glossary
A guide to “WTO speak”. Explanations for frequently used terms in WTO literature are provided.
WTO Organization Chart
A visual representation of the organizational structure of the WTO.
GATT Digital Library
This site provides access to documents and information of and about the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), an organization that promoted international commerce and the reduction of trade barriers among member states from 1947-1994. The Digital Library is maintained by Stanford University Libraries and Academic Information Resources.
HeinOnline: WTO collection (available on campus and remotely with ASURITE)
HeinOnline provides image-based PDF copies of World Trade Organization (WTO) publications.
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is an inter-governmental grouping, comprised of 21 member countries, that was established in 1989 to further enhance economic growth and prosperity for the Asia-Pacific region. The APEC website offers information on the organization’s committees and groups, projects, events, and publications.
European Commission – External Trade
The Directorate General for Trade of the European Commission is in charge of implementing the common trade policy of the European Union. Website includes publications and information relating to various trade topics.
Free Trade Area of the Americas
Effort to unite the economies of the Americas into a single free trade area. Website includes the draft of the FTAA agreement, information relating to negotiating groups and special committees, and country specific information.
Organization of American States Foreign Trade Information System
Organization of American States Foreign Trade Information System - centralizes information on trade policy in the Americas. Website includes full texts of trade agreements in force for OAS Member States, new and ongoing trade policy developments, information on national trade-related legislation, links to international, regional and national sources of trade policy information and other information.
Regional Trade Agreements Information System
This database, maintained by the World Trade Organization (WTO), contains information on Regional Trade Agreements that have been notified to the WTO. Agreements can be searched by country/territory or criteria, or browsed.
HeinOnline's U.S. International Trade Library
This HeinOnline library brings together current and historical content of U.S. international trade including USITC publications, relevant Code of Federal Regulations and U.S. Code titles, legislative histories, notable publications, and scholarly articles.
Bloomberg Law’s International Trade Practice Center (Bloomberg Law password required)
The International Trade Practice Center in Bloomberg Law provides access to Bloomberg Law's numerous international trade resources in one page, with distinct practice pages for Import and Export. Resources available include Country Chart Builders, news, cases, dockets, statutes, regulations, secondary sources, and Practical Guidance.
Lexis International Trade & Business Practice Center (Lexis password required)
Lexis' International Trade & Business Practice Center brings together Lexis content on international trade in one page. Content includes Law360 news, administrative sources from U.S. and international bodies, secondary sources, cases, statutes, regulations, and treaties.
Westlaw’s Multi-National Law Treatises (Westlaw password required)
Westlaw offers access to a number of treatises and other reference works on multi-national trade and business law topics - they are all available on this Westlaw page for searching and browsing.
International Trade Centre
The International trade Centre (ITC) is a joint technical cooperation agency of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the World Trade Organization. The ITC website provides information by country, including trade and market profiles, trade statistics, and links to national trade support institutions and country-specific business information. It also offers access to online tools and market research and trade analysis.
Investment Treaty Arbitration
This website from the University of Victoria has the full text of investment cases, decisions, awards, investment treaties, and other investment-related materials.