Mona Paulsen
@monapaulsen.bsky.social
Assistant Professor in International Economic Law, LSE Law School. Specialisation in international trade law and economic security, in addition to research and teaching interests in international investment law, international development, and IPE.
Pinned
Mona Paulsen
@monapaulsen.bsky.social
· Aug 12
Happy to share my publication, The Past, Present, and Potential of Economic Security, in 50 Yale Journal of International Law 222 (Summer 2025), now available on Hein Online (DM if you cannot access through your local libraries). My thanks to the student editors who worked hard on this publication.
Beyond ecosec alignment, some of these commitments involve sweeping denials of Guatemalan sovereignty, not to mention the efforts of poorer economies to protect their agricultural sectors. O/S questions: What if US standards are different from International ones? What kind of regulatory oversight?
November 14, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Beyond ecosec alignment, some of these commitments involve sweeping denials of Guatemalan sovereignty, not to mention the efforts of poorer economies to protect their agricultural sectors. O/S questions: What if US standards are different from International ones? What kind of regulatory oversight?
More US security agreements with a majority of DR-CAFTA signatories.
Ecuador commits to US economic security planning, TRQs for ag goods, commits not to impose DST, to abandon GIs on meet/cheeses. Interesting commitment on international IP though.
And for what? Qualifying doing a lot of work.
Ecuador commits to US economic security planning, TRQs for ag goods, commits not to impose DST, to abandon GIs on meet/cheeses. Interesting commitment on international IP though.
And for what? Qualifying doing a lot of work.
November 14, 2025 at 7:56 AM
More US security agreements with a majority of DR-CAFTA signatories.
Ecuador commits to US economic security planning, TRQs for ag goods, commits not to impose DST, to abandon GIs on meet/cheeses. Interesting commitment on international IP though.
And for what? Qualifying doing a lot of work.
Ecuador commits to US economic security planning, TRQs for ag goods, commits not to impose DST, to abandon GIs on meet/cheeses. Interesting commitment on international IP though.
And for what? Qualifying doing a lot of work.
Reposted by Mona Paulsen
It's been a rough year for European trade policy. The deal with the US, disputes with China and an overall sense of a worsening economic climate. My latest piece tries to draw out some lessons for Europe www.cer.eu/insights/thr...
Three hard lessons for European trade
Global trade policy is now dominated by great power politics, putting Europe under pressure. The EU will have to accommodate the US, confront China and derisk from both.
www.cer.eu
November 10, 2025 at 2:22 PM
It's been a rough year for European trade policy. The deal with the US, disputes with China and an overall sense of a worsening economic climate. My latest piece tries to draw out some lessons for Europe www.cer.eu/insights/thr...
I have a question - I couldn't find any record of this before, so is this a new development?
November 10, 2025 at 5:56 PM
I have a question - I couldn't find any record of this before, so is this a new development?
Reposted by Mona Paulsen
One thing I've wondered about on the trade deals governments are signing with Trump is, what are others getting out of this? In my latest IELP post I look at an example from the Cambodia deal, under which Trump removed an arms embargo imposed by Biden that cited human rights and corruption concerns.
Trump's Cambodia Trade Deal, Arms Exports, and the Role of Non-Trade Concessions
In this post, I'm going to talk about some aspects of the recent U.S. trade deal with Cambodia that I haven't heard raised yet, including the following questions: (1) Is the decision to allow U.S. arm...
ielp.worldtradelaw.net
November 10, 2025 at 2:13 PM
One thing I've wondered about on the trade deals governments are signing with Trump is, what are others getting out of this? In my latest IELP post I look at an example from the Cambodia deal, under which Trump removed an arms embargo imposed by Biden that cited human rights and corruption concerns.
IEEPA authority is contingent upon an emergency, distinguishing it from "normal" times (Congressional oversight). The deals are already misaligned with the goals. Plural trade deficits= emergency? Without foreign investments, defence alignment, or plane purchases, there would be no trade deficit?
November 10, 2025 at 1:14 PM
IEEPA authority is contingent upon an emergency, distinguishing it from "normal" times (Congressional oversight). The deals are already misaligned with the goals. Plural trade deficits= emergency? Without foreign investments, defence alignment, or plane purchases, there would be no trade deficit?
What evidence led to the initiation of this review, beyond the origin in China? Software updates rooted back to a company domiciled in China? Will the UK government permit the Chinese firm to mitigate potential concerns raised, or simply ban Chinese Evs full stop?
www.ft.com/content/07ec...
www.ft.com/content/07ec...
UK investigates whether buses made in China can be turned off from afar
Investigation comes after Norway found Yutong vehicles could be ‘stopped or rendered inoperable’ by Chinese company
www.ft.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:11 AM
What evidence led to the initiation of this review, beyond the origin in China? Software updates rooted back to a company domiciled in China? Will the UK government permit the Chinese firm to mitigate potential concerns raised, or simply ban Chinese Evs full stop?
www.ft.com/content/07ec...
www.ft.com/content/07ec...
Oren Cass's FT Op-Ed on 2026 USMCA neglected the complex ROO in place for cars, where a 2022 USMCA arbitration panel clarified how core parts factor into a domestic regional calculation. Asserting "China out" without any clarity on the mechanics of *how* is unhelpful. ustr.gov/sites/defaul...
ustr.gov
November 10, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Oren Cass's FT Op-Ed on 2026 USMCA neglected the complex ROO in place for cars, where a 2022 USMCA arbitration panel clarified how core parts factor into a domestic regional calculation. Asserting "China out" without any clarity on the mechanics of *how* is unhelpful. ustr.gov/sites/defaul...
‘Bessent suggested that the dividend could take the form of paying for “the tax decreases that we are seeing on the president’s agenda,” citing the elimination of taxes on tips and overtime, among other things.’
Just in case you were wondering…
Just in case you were wondering…
Trump says tariffs to yield dividends 'of at least $2,000 a person'
Trump says tariffs to yield dividends 'of at least $2,000 a person'
But Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent cast the discussion in a bit of a different light.
dlvr.it
November 9, 2025 at 5:43 PM
‘Bessent suggested that the dividend could take the form of paying for “the tax decreases that we are seeing on the president’s agenda,” citing the elimination of taxes on tips and overtime, among other things.’
Just in case you were wondering…
Just in case you were wondering…
What if - and hear me out - we stopped trying to invent tech that let us write emails and, instead, we worked out how to make Star Trek food replicators so not a single person ever went hungry.
November 8, 2025 at 4:59 PM
What if - and hear me out - we stopped trying to invent tech that let us write emails and, instead, we worked out how to make Star Trek food replicators so not a single person ever went hungry.
Rather than dubbing these economic security agreements, I quite like @alanbeattie.bsky.social 's description of the Malaysia and Cambodia agreements: "neocolonial gunboat trade diplomacy as though it were analogous to the pursuit of co-operative alliance-based economic security."
Greece, US Sign Economic Security Declaration in Athens
https://www.europesays.com/2553287/
Greece and United States on Friday signed a joint declaration in Athens focusing on economic security, capping off…
https://www.europesays.com/2553287/
Greece and United States on Friday signed a joint declaration in Athens focusing on economic security, capping off…
Greece, US Sign Economic Security Declaration in Athens - EUROPE SAYS
Greece and United States on Friday signed a joint declaration in Athens focusing on economic security, capping off a whirlwind 6th Transatlantic Partnership
www.europesays.com
November 8, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Rather than dubbing these economic security agreements, I quite like @alanbeattie.bsky.social 's description of the Malaysia and Cambodia agreements: "neocolonial gunboat trade diplomacy as though it were analogous to the pursuit of co-operative alliance-based economic security."
Reposted by Mona Paulsen
Is Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act a Fall-Back Option for Trump to Impose #Tariffs?
In this post @worldtradelaw.bsky.social I raise questions about whether the scope and meaning of Section 122 align with the Trump administration’s intended objectives.
ielp.worldtradelaw.net/2025/11/is-s...
In this post @worldtradelaw.bsky.social I raise questions about whether the scope and meaning of Section 122 align with the Trump administration’s intended objectives.
ielp.worldtradelaw.net/2025/11/is-s...
Is Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act a Fall-Back Option for Trump to Impose Tariffs?
Without IEEPA authority, as we have all discussed, where there is a will, there is a way. In all likelihood, this way involves the expanded use of other statutory authorities, such as Section 232 of t...
ielp.worldtradelaw.net
November 7, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Is Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act a Fall-Back Option for Trump to Impose #Tariffs?
In this post @worldtradelaw.bsky.social I raise questions about whether the scope and meaning of Section 122 align with the Trump administration’s intended objectives.
ielp.worldtradelaw.net/2025/11/is-s...
In this post @worldtradelaw.bsky.social I raise questions about whether the scope and meaning of Section 122 align with the Trump administration’s intended objectives.
ielp.worldtradelaw.net/2025/11/is-s...
Reposted by Mona Paulsen
Is Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act a Fall-Back Option for Trump to Impose Tariffs?
Is Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act a Fall-Back Option for Trump to Impose Tariffs?
Without IEEPA authority, as we have all discussed, where there is a will, there is a way. In all likelihood, this way involves the expanded use of other statutory authorities, such as Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act and Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. In
dlvr.it
November 7, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Is Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act a Fall-Back Option for Trump to Impose Tariffs?
Is Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act a Fall-Back Option for Trump to Impose #Tariffs?
In this post @worldtradelaw.bsky.social I raise questions about whether the scope and meaning of Section 122 align with the Trump administration’s intended objectives.
ielp.worldtradelaw.net/2025/11/is-s...
In this post @worldtradelaw.bsky.social I raise questions about whether the scope and meaning of Section 122 align with the Trump administration’s intended objectives.
ielp.worldtradelaw.net/2025/11/is-s...
Is Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act a Fall-Back Option for Trump to Impose Tariffs?
Without IEEPA authority, as we have all discussed, where there is a will, there is a way. In all likelihood, this way involves the expanded use of other statutory authorities, such as Section 232 of t...
ielp.worldtradelaw.net
November 7, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Is Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act a Fall-Back Option for Trump to Impose #Tariffs?
In this post @worldtradelaw.bsky.social I raise questions about whether the scope and meaning of Section 122 align with the Trump administration’s intended objectives.
ielp.worldtradelaw.net/2025/11/is-s...
In this post @worldtradelaw.bsky.social I raise questions about whether the scope and meaning of Section 122 align with the Trump administration’s intended objectives.
ielp.worldtradelaw.net/2025/11/is-s...
I wrote about some of my scepticism with the arguments that Sec. 122 of the 1974 Trade Act is a viable pathway for the current administration's regulatory, reciprocal, retaliatory tariff strategy.
Can make it a blog, let me know.
www.linkedin.com/posts/mppaul...
Can make it a blog, let me know.
www.linkedin.com/posts/mppaul...
Without IEEPA authority, as we have all discussed, where there is a will, there is a way (and this way involves the expanded use of other statutory authorities, such as Section 232 of the 1962 Trade… ...
Without IEEPA authority, as we have all discussed, where there is a will, there is a way (and this way involves the expanded use of other statutory authorities, such as Section 232 of the 1962 Trade E...
www.linkedin.com
November 7, 2025 at 2:21 PM
I wrote about some of my scepticism with the arguments that Sec. 122 of the 1974 Trade Act is a viable pathway for the current administration's regulatory, reciprocal, retaliatory tariff strategy.
Can make it a blog, let me know.
www.linkedin.com/posts/mppaul...
Can make it a blog, let me know.
www.linkedin.com/posts/mppaul...
Hi, I'm going to wait to offer an analysis until I can study the USSC decisions carefully, but I reflected on what I saw as interesting excerpts (mainly Gorsuch)
Here:
linkedin.com/feed/update/...
Here:
linkedin.com/feed/update/...
And here:
www.linkedin.com/posts/mppaul...
Here:
linkedin.com/feed/update/...
Here:
linkedin.com/feed/update/...
And here:
www.linkedin.com/posts/mppaul...
November 6, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Hi, I'm going to wait to offer an analysis until I can study the USSC decisions carefully, but I reflected on what I saw as interesting excerpts (mainly Gorsuch)
Here:
linkedin.com/feed/update/...
Here:
linkedin.com/feed/update/...
And here:
www.linkedin.com/posts/mppaul...
Here:
linkedin.com/feed/update/...
Here:
linkedin.com/feed/update/...
And here:
www.linkedin.com/posts/mppaul...
I don't know what to say. I said all the cleverer things on Linkedin.
November 6, 2025 at 6:00 PM
I don't know what to say. I said all the cleverer things on Linkedin.
Ya’ll when I tell you that a child’s stomach flu and the Supreme Court plus some bad copy editing is making me stress dance, I mean it.
a group of people are dancing in a bar with a dart board in the background .
ALT: a group of people are dancing in a bar with a dart board in the background .
media.tenor.com
November 5, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Ya’ll when I tell you that a child’s stomach flu and the Supreme Court plus some bad copy editing is making me stress dance, I mean it.
Fascinating - a sliver of why it's insufficient to argue that China simply "cheats" WTO subsidies disciplines. Rather, Chinese lenders operate in a far more complex way. No amount of navigating control of SOEs will account for this integrated, layered support.
www.aiddata.org/publications...
www.aiddata.org/publications...
November 5, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Fascinating - a sliver of why it's insufficient to argue that China simply "cheats" WTO subsidies disciplines. Rather, Chinese lenders operate in a far more complex way. No amount of navigating control of SOEs will account for this integrated, layered support.
www.aiddata.org/publications...
www.aiddata.org/publications...
In The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon speaks to Amy about his favourite movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Amy disappoints Sheldon by observing that Indiana Jones has no bearing on the outcome. Regardless of whatever Indiana Jones did, the Nazis would have stolen the ark, opened it, and all died.
Amy disappoints Sheldon by observing that Indiana Jones has no bearing on the outcome. Regardless of whatever Indiana Jones did, the Nazis would have stolen the ark, opened it, and all died.
November 5, 2025 at 8:02 AM
In The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon speaks to Amy about his favourite movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Amy disappoints Sheldon by observing that Indiana Jones has no bearing on the outcome. Regardless of whatever Indiana Jones did, the Nazis would have stolen the ark, opened it, and all died.
Amy disappoints Sheldon by observing that Indiana Jones has no bearing on the outcome. Regardless of whatever Indiana Jones did, the Nazis would have stolen the ark, opened it, and all died.
From Chemerinsky, Dean of Berkeley Law www.scotusblog.com/2025/11/the-...
Most debate centres on POTUS authority under the IEEPA to impose tariffs, or the government’s interpretation of the law would be an unconstitutional excessive delegation of legislative power.👇🏻 reviewability Q vital too.
Most debate centres on POTUS authority under the IEEPA to impose tariffs, or the government’s interpretation of the law would be an unconstitutional excessive delegation of legislative power.👇🏻 reviewability Q vital too.
November 5, 2025 at 7:39 AM
From Chemerinsky, Dean of Berkeley Law www.scotusblog.com/2025/11/the-...
Most debate centres on POTUS authority under the IEEPA to impose tariffs, or the government’s interpretation of the law would be an unconstitutional excessive delegation of legislative power.👇🏻 reviewability Q vital too.
Most debate centres on POTUS authority under the IEEPA to impose tariffs, or the government’s interpretation of the law would be an unconstitutional excessive delegation of legislative power.👇🏻 reviewability Q vital too.
Looking forward to reading this new work by Abe and Elana. In recent work, I likewise concluded that States could improve their assessment of supply and influence, and build out crisper norms for tools directed to the detriment of other states versus improving domestic/club objectives.
7/Now more than ever we need to develop a set of norms Around the use of economic coercion so that we can buy up guardrails against illegitimate uses of the economic weapon.
academic.oup.com/jiel/advance...
academic.oup.com/jiel/advance...
Building norms of economic coercion
Abstract. Across most of the world’s major geopolitical struggles, states have increasingly turned to tools of economic coercion. Despite growing criticism
academic.oup.com
November 3, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Looking forward to reading this new work by Abe and Elana. In recent work, I likewise concluded that States could improve their assessment of supply and influence, and build out crisper norms for tools directed to the detriment of other states versus improving domestic/club objectives.
Distortion is not the right word. Presuming markets run free and have no state intervention, distortion implies a deviation from the normal. But if state-owned is a deviation, what value does that term add to the assessment? Good state-owned from bad state-owned?
November 3, 2025 at 7:49 AM
Distortion is not the right word. Presuming markets run free and have no state intervention, distortion implies a deviation from the normal. But if state-owned is a deviation, what value does that term add to the assessment? Good state-owned from bad state-owned?
Reposted by Mona Paulsen
Least developed countries face new US tariffs amid global uncertainty.
Expanding trade, especially across the Global South, could help mitigate the impact and promote diversification.
Learn more: ▶️ ow.ly/OQsW50XkQQw
Expanding trade, especially across the Global South, could help mitigate the impact and promote diversification.
Learn more: ▶️ ow.ly/OQsW50XkQQw
November 2, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Least developed countries face new US tariffs amid global uncertainty.
Expanding trade, especially across the Global South, could help mitigate the impact and promote diversification.
Learn more: ▶️ ow.ly/OQsW50XkQQw
Expanding trade, especially across the Global South, could help mitigate the impact and promote diversification.
Learn more: ▶️ ow.ly/OQsW50XkQQw
Reposted by Mona Paulsen
Far from being incoherent, the United States' recent moves against trading partners suggest a unique restructuring of its economic structure, with executive-dominated *foreign* investments planned to drive much of its future economic growth.
November 1, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Far from being incoherent, the United States' recent moves against trading partners suggest a unique restructuring of its economic structure, with executive-dominated *foreign* investments planned to drive much of its future economic growth.