Robert Lawrence 
Crimes and Punishments? 
Retaliation Under the WTO

One of the unique aspects of the WTO as an international organization is that it authorizes members to retaliate against violations by raising tariffs. These authorizations have become increasingly common and increasingly controversial. In this analysis of the retaliation system, Robert Lawrence considers the guiding principles that govern responses to WTO violations, examines how these principles are implemented in practice, and considers options for reform.

About the author

Robert Z. Lawrence was a senior fellow and also the Albert L. Williams Professor of Trade and Investment at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He served as a member of President Clinton’s Council of Economic Advisers from 1999 to 2000. He was the New Century Chair as a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution between 1997 and 1998.