Trade Regulatory Actions

SECTION 201: "ESCAPE CLAUSE"

Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974 (known as the "Escape Clause") provides U.S. industries with temporary, comprehensive relief from imports that are entering the country at a rate that causes or threatens to cause serious injury. ECS has aided domestic industries and importers in a large portion of all U.S. Escape Clause cases, testifying before and providing economic analysis to the ITC as well as presenting cases to the Executive Branch.

NAFTA SAFEGUARDS

The U.S. law that implemented the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994 contains safeguards that permit U.S. industries to obtain relief against imports from Canada and Mexico under certain circumstances. As in a Section 201 case, such relief requires a showing of actual or threatened serious injury linked to the reduction of U.S. import duties negotiated between the United States and the NAFTA partner whose products are involved. ECS successfully brought the first such case under this provision.

SECTION 301: UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES

Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1994, as amended, permits the U.S. government to retaliate against certain foreign unfair trade practices that "burden or restrict U.S. trade," particularly in export markets. ECS has provided economic analysis and expert testimony in several Section 301 cases.