Anti-Dumping and Anti-Trust Issues in Free-Trade Areas

In today's interrelated economy, anti-dumping measures are highly contested by economists and less favoured interest groups. At the same time, anti-dumping measures are an exclusive exercise of sovereignty and would seem to protect statehood and arguably other national interests of any importing state.

Indeed, in an international forum, what constitute market power and abusive conduct differ from what would otherwise be acceptable in a domestic market. Security and other national policies ought to be weighed against efficiency considerations. And this may be why anti-dumping measures may be more easily phased out within a Free Trade area: states tend to reach parallel economic standards and share similar social reqirements.

This work tries to clarify some of the issues involved in such a complex decision process.