As a result, CEI experts have encouraged and supported trade-enhancing policies and treaties over the years, including “fast-track” Trade Promotion Authority, specific trade deals, and multilateral efforts such as the Doha round of the World Trade Organization. We have opposed increased tariffs, attempts to increase regulation through trade deal language, and the trend toward bilateral rather than multilateral deals. CEI continues to make the case for free trade in the face of increased bipartisan hostility to the idea.
CEI’s experts also work with like-minded colleagues abroad to oppose harmful initiatives, such as working with British colleagues to stop that country’s competition agency from blocking mergers between American firms based on speculative reasoning.
Featured Posts
The National News Desk
Inflation surges as Iran war drives prices higher across economy
CEI’s Jeremy Nighohossian was quoted in The National News Desk regarding CPI figures from September 2026. Core prices, which exclude food and energy,…
Blog
Can a country trade its way to independence?
Protectionists often say that tariffs are a way to achieve economic independence. They argue that raising the prices of foreign goods can bring production…
Blog
Tinplate tariffs are a microcosm of larger harm
Most of the talk about tariffs raising the cost of living is pretty abstract. In an op-ed syndicated by InsideSources, I look at…
Search Posts
Blog
The Future of Liberty and Democracy in Europe
The classical liberal tradition calls for respecting the liberty of individuals and of conscience, the freedom to trade goods and services, and even the mobility…
Investor's Business Daily
World Bank And IMF Get African Development Wrong, Again
It’s springtime in Washington D.C., which, for the uninitiated, means not only cherry blossoms and Nationals’ baseball, but the spectacle of the World Bank’s and…
CapX
Only Economic Freedom Will Keep Africa Growing
Ever since African nations began to gain independence in the 1960s, Western countries have looked to assist their economic development. While the nature of this…
The Huffington Post
Africa’s Economy Needs to Come out of the Shadows
Westerners used to call sub-Saharan Africa “the Dark Continent.” That epithet reflected a willful ignorance of the continent’s civilizations, cultures, and history, and helped justify…
Blog
African Development Requires Economic and Legal Reforms, Affordable Energy
If the African continent is to achieve the prosperity it deserves, then African policy makers and non-governmental organizations alike should strive to implement pro-growth policies.
Blog
White House Should Drop Support for Cronyism of Export-Import Bank
With the Trump administration’s early emphasis on deregulation, there was hope that cronyist agencies such as the Export-Import Bank, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and Economic…
News Release
Trump Trade Nominee a Poor Choice to Lead U.S. Negotiations
The United States Senate Committee on Finance is expected to soon vote on the confirmation of Robert Lighthizer to be United States Trade Representative. CEI Senior…
National Review
‘The Greatest Deregulatory Endeavor’
National Review highlights Iain Murray’s study on the United Kingdom’s split from the European Union. Iain Murray, co-author of “Cutting the Gordian Knot”…
Blog
Lessons from a Humble Pencil about Economics and the World
On National Pencil Day, we salute this marvel of capitalism and Leonard Read’s classic story about an everyday object.
Blog
United Kingdom Invokes Article 50 to Leave the European Union
In a historic moment, British Prime Minister Theresa May today invoked Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union, which formally starts the process…
Blog
Time to Repeal the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act
FATCA amounts to a fine levied by the U.S. on any of its citizens who have the temerity to live abroad.
Letters
CEI Joins Coalition Letter to Repeal Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act
View Full Document as PDF As free-market and taxpayer protection organizations representing millions of Americans, we urge that repeal of the Foreign…
Blog
Federal Budget Must Demand Value for Taxpayer Dollars
Competitive Enterprise Institute Vice President for Strategy Iain Murray responded to President Trump’s budget proposal today.
Blog
Let Africa Power Its Future with Affordable Energy
Economic development in Africa needs affordable, reliable fossil fuels, not expensive, intermittent renewables, as some Western environmentalists demand.
Blog
Trump Should Keep Promise, Withdraw U.S. from Paris Climate Treaty
President Trump should keep his campaign promise and rescind or otherwise withdraw the United States from President Obama’s purported commitment to the Paris climate pact…
Washington Post
Last night, conservatives gave up on conservatism
The Washington Post discusses President Trump’s policy proposals from his address to a joint session of Congress with CEI President Kent Lassman. The…
Blog
Gates Foundation Should Credit Market Reforms for Poverty Reduction
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation should give greater credit to the proven economic reforms that have spurred development throughout the world.
Blog
Failure to Renounce Paris Climate Deal Would Create Major White House Policy Conflict
On the campaign trail, presidential candidate Donald Trump said he would “cancel” U.S. participation in the Paris Agreement. He now appears to be back-pedaling.
Blog
Economic Freedom in the U.S. Fell Last Year Due to Rising Regulatory and Tax Burdens
The United States recently slipped to its lowest level yet in world rankings of economic freedom compiled by the Heritage Foundation and The Wall…
Blog
Trump May Suspend Obama-era Rules on Conflict Minerals
The Dodd-Frank Act’s conflict-minerals rules backfired, and caused malnutrition, misery, and violence in the eastern Congo.
Blog
Response to Mercatus Center’s Dan Griswold on Trade Policy
Fred Smith and Marc Scribner respond to the Mercatus Center's Dan Griswold on the free market approach to trade policy.
Blog
Deregulate to Speed Recovery from ‘Creative Destruction’ of Trade and Innovation
Government regulation limits the ability of individuals and businesses to recover from normal economic setbacks.
Blog
Financial Regulation Executive Order a Step in the Right Direction
A new White House executive order aims to redesign how financial institutions are regulated by the federal government.
Independent Journal Review
I’ve Had A Green Card Since 1999 – Trump’s Executive Order Shows The Overreach Of Presidential Power
Green card holders like me received an unwelcome present from the Trump administration this weekend. In the course of the fiasco surrounding the president’s executive…
Cleveland.com
Ohio lost 120,000+ jobs due to U.S. trade deficit with China: EPI
Cleveland.com discusses with Iain Murray a report that claims Ohio lost 121,500 jobs due to the United States’ trade deficit with China. Iain Murray…
Blog
Congress Should Eliminate SEC Rule that Discloses Company Information to Foreign Governments
Congress should pass a joint resolution of disapproval and block the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rule relating to ‘‘Disclosure of Payments by Resource Extraction Issuers.”…
Fox Business
A Trade Policy to Boost American Competitiveness
President Donald Trump’s early actions on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, North American Free Trade Agreement, and the nomination of avowed protectionists to key roles have shaken…
National Review
The UK Supreme Court’s Brexit Decision: Probably Right and Yet So Unnecessary
The UK’s Supreme Court has ruled that Parliament must agree to make Britain’s exit from the European Union, which the British people voted for…
Blog
Trump Moves on Trade: TPP and NAFTA
The decisions to end the failed TPP experiment and perhaps pull the plug on NAFTA may not be the disaster for free trade they seem…
News Release
Statement by CEI Expert on Why Trade Deals Got a Bad Reputation
In response to President Trump’s plans to sign an executive order withdrawing the U.S. from the negotiating process of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Competitive Enterprise Institute…
Daily Signal
Trump’s Opening Shot on Trade, Abortion, Federal Employees
The Daily Signal discusses President Trump’s executive action to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement with Iain Murray. Rather than breaking down…
Blog
Iain Murray Addresses Political Fragmentation in the EU
This afternoon our friends at the Heritage Foundation hosted a fascinating discussion of European politics with CEI Vice President for Strategy Iain Murray.
Blog
Questions Senators Should Ask Rex Tillerson
Tillerson is probably the only influential person President-elect Trump would ever nominate as Secretary of State who supports both a carbon tax and the Paris…
Blog
New York Times Misleads on U.S.-China Renewable Energy Trade
The source of demand for Chinese renewable energy exports are countries, like the U.S. and Europe, that have mandated and subsidized green energy.
Reuters
Lighthizer joins Trump trade team crowded with deal makers
Reuters discusses trade policy with Marc Scribner. “USTR will still have statutory negotiation and enforcement powers, but where the big ideas on trade…
Blog
The Future of Free Trade under a Trump Administration
My colleague Iain Murray has an excellent analysis today in Brexit Central of how a future international trade deal between the United States and a…
Brexit Central
How a US-UK free trade deal could revolutionise world trade
While the incoming Trump administration has given much of the world something to fear regarding future US trade policy, for good reason, there is a…
Blog
RealClear Radio Hour: Western and Soviet Politics
In this episode, historian Andrew Roberts and Russian émigré Alexander Markovsky compare Western and Soviet politics.
Washington Examiner
Stop praising Castro for health and education ‘advances’
Washington Examiner discusses Fidel Castro's legacy with Hans Bader. But claims that Castro was some sort of bringer of knowledge and good health…
Financial Times
Castro Inherited Cuba’s Admired Achievements
Paul Hare notes that “Cuba’s education and healthcare are still widely admired in the developing world.” (“Castro’s Legacy Makes Cuba’s Progress Harder,” November 29). But…
CNS News
That Time Obama Promoted Myth of Excellent Health Care and Education in Cuba
In his recent remarks in Cuba, President Obama offered glowing praise to institutions in that communist country that did not deserve it. The president…
Blog
Free Market Opportunities for the Trump Administration
This election has given us one more demonstration that knowledge is dispersed and “trusting the experts” to know the future is foolish. The unexpected success…
Brexit Central
The Trump Presidency could mean a world trade war but Congress may push a US-UK trade deal
Against all the odds, Donald Trump has just pulled off a surprising victory in the US Presidential election. Given that much of his loudest rhetoric…
Blog
Three Ways the Next President Can Help America Out
At this moment, it’s likely the presidential candidates are busy preparing for the third and final debate tonight.
Blog
Back Freedom in the Czech Republic
Here at CEI we are big fans of Czech classical liberals. We published former Czech President Vaclav Klaus’s excellent book on environmental policy,…
Blog
Export-Import Bank Supporters Dealt Setback in Congress
The Export-Import Bank’s supporters and beneficiaries very nearly scored a major victory last week. Ex-Im, as it’s called for short, was shut down for about…
Blog
When It Comes to Trade Our Leaders, Not Other Countries, Are Ripping Americans off
In recent weeks, trade has repeatedly come up in discussions and speeches by presidential candidates. Donald Trump says he would renegotiate NAFTA, while Hillary Clinton’s…
Blog
Precedent on Environmental Pacts: Treaty or “Executive Agreement”?
President Obama claims the global climate pact negotiated in Paris last December—the so-called Paris Agreement—is an executive agreement, not a treaty, hence is not subject…
The Federalist
Britain’s Economy And Politicians Bounce Back In Wake Of Brexit
The Federalist interviews Iain Murray on Britain's path forward after Brexit. Iain Murray, vice president of strategy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, discussed…
Blog
Climate Agreement Signed: What Can The Senate Do?
Reports circulating this week predict that President Obama will unilaterally “Accept” the Paris Climate Treaty on behalf of the United States, breaking from other nations…
