The Trade Law Centre (tralac) is pleased to publish this book on safeguard measures in multilateral and regional trade agreements. The study, by Elenor Lissel, was completed and submitted for a postgraduate qualification at the University of Lund, Sweden. We would like to thank Elenor for approaching tralac to publish the book.

Safeguard measures are designed for application when sudden and unexpected import surges cause or threaten to cause harm to domestic industry; recognising that even fair trade can negatively affect domestic production.

Safeguard measures have featured prominently in the Doha Development Round of trade negotiations. Disagreement over a proposed Special Safeguard Mechanism to allow developing countries to raise import duties on agricultural products in response to import surges, was an important contributing factor the collapse of the negotiations in July 2008.

Safeguards, in the context of regional trade agreements, are also featuring in the African integration agenda. In the Tripartite Free Trade Area negotiations, the annex on trade remedies and safeguards forms part of the ‘built-in’ agenda of outstanding issues from phase 1 of the negotiations. These negotiations are continuing and reflect the broader challenges of integrating unequal partners, as well as the challenges associated with developing the technical and institutional capacity to manage and implement an effective trade remedy and safeguard regime. This book contributes to a better understanding of safeguards, in both multilateral and regional trade agreements.

About the author

Elenor Lissel is a Swedish trade lawyer, currently working for IKEA in Sweden. Previously she has worked for the Swedish National Board of Trade, Swedish Tax Agency and is also a PhD student at Lund University, Faculty of Law. Her research is within WTO law, trade, trade barriers and trade agreements.

© Elenor Lissel and Trade Law Centre (tralac)

Publication of this book was made possible by the support of the Trade Law Centre (tralac). The views expressed by the author are not necessarily the views of tralac.

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