Case 238 - Beer Brawls: GATT "Settles" the Market Access Dispute Between U.S. and Canadian Brewers

by ISD - Georgetown University
$ 4.50

Ryan, Michael P. and Teresita Ramos-Soler

This case study describes the complaints of U.S. brewers over Canadian government policies that restricted their access to the Canadian market. It describes the dispute settlement mechanism of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the efforts of both the U.S. and Canadian governments to resolve the dispute through GATT on terms favorable to their respective brewers. The case highlights several important characteristics of trade dispute settlement and illustrates the political uncertainties associated with the application of GATT rules to subnational policies, including those of the provinces of Canada and the U.S. states.