At the Center on Inclusive Trade and Development, we are continuing Georgetown's legacy as a leader in international trade law by building a first-of-its-kind, interdisciplinary research hub.
CITD was founded in 2022 to bring together scholars, students, practitioners, NGOs, business and labor leaders, and international organizations to find solutions to the challenges facing the international trading system and develop global approaches to making trade rules more inclusive and sustainable.
The Center on Inclusive Trade and Development is thrilled to announce that Rethinking World Trade is back for its third year on April 15, 2025. Save the date and stay tuned for more details coming soon!
President Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose sweeping tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China raises significant legal and constitutional questions. The Supreme Court’s Major Questions Doctrine (MQD) suggests that such actions require clear congressional authorization, which IEEPA lacks regarding tariffs. Courts have previously ruled that tariff authority must be closely tied to a declared emergency, yet Trump’s tariffs appear broad and disconnected from any immediate crisis. These issues highlight the broader debate over executive power and the limits of presidential authority in economic policy—read the full analysis to explore the legal and constitutional implications.
The US's proposed reciprocal tariffs could shake up global trade, but instead of chaos, this could be the catalyst for a much-needed rebalancing. Unlike past tariffs, which were targeted and temporary, these tariffs would affect all major trading partners and products, creating a more permanent shift. While this challenges the WTO’s long-standing non-discrimination rule, it also opens the door for a broader, multilateral re-negotiation of global trade agreements. By invoking Article XXVIII of the GATT, countries could reset tariff levels, accounting for economic and regulatory differences across nations. This could pave the way for a fairer, more durable global trade system, and revitalize the WTO. Rather than mark its end, Trump’s tariff plan might just usher in a new era of cooperation and reform.
