International Trade and Investment

Cleary Gottlieb’s international practice in 16 major commercial centers throughout the world helps clients effectively address a broad range of trade and customs matters.

The firm’s dual presence in Brussels and Washington, D.C., gives us ready access to the key regulatory bodies in the EU and the U.S. and allows us to provide coordinated transatlantic advice.

Our lawyers have the experience and resources to effectively address a broad range of trade matters, including multilateral and bilateral trade dispute settlement, trade negotiations, trade defense, import and export regulations, foreign investment restrictions, sanctions and unfair trade practices.

We are also well-versed in the impact on business of the relevant multilateral agreements, EU and WTO trade rules, and U.S. legislation.

Our services include analysis and strategic advice on a variety of trade matters, including:

• Participation and consultancy on ongoing multilateral and bilateral trade negotiations.
• The interpretation and implementation of trade agreements and arrangements. Our team is knowledgeable on WTO law on anti-dumping, including GATT Article VI and the Agreement on Implementation of Article VI of the GATT 1994.
• Anti-dumping and anti-circumvention proceedings before the European Commission and, when circumstances warrant, before the European General Court and the European Court of Justice, as well as the competent regulatory bodies in the U.S.
• Participation in WTO dispute settlement proceedings.
• Customs procedures and classification.
• Rules of origin.
• Quantitative quotas and restrictions.

Our firm is known for providing advice to European industry and/or third-country exporters in trade defense proceedings (anti-dumping, circumvention, anti-subsidy, safeguards, etc.).

An important focus of our trade practice is EU and U.S. economic sanctions; information can be found here.