What is ‘Super 301’ ?

‘Super 301’ refers to a specific provision of the United States trade law, specifically an amendment to Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. Introduced via the Omnibus Foreign Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988, it empowered the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to identify 'priority' foreign countries that maintained systematic and significant trade barriers against U.S. exports [t1][t4]. Unlike the standard Section 301, which addresses specific unfair practices, Super 301 established an annual process to target broader market access issues and mandated investigations into the trade practices of identified countries [t1][t6]. It has historically been used as a tool for mandatory retaliation or negotiation to open foreign markets, such as those in Japan or Brazil, to American goods and services [t1][t7]. While the Indian Constitution also contains Articles 301-307 regarding trade, the term 'Super 301' is exclusively associated with American trade enforcement mechanisms [c1][t1].

Sources

1. [1] https://1997-2001.state.gov/issues/economic/fsustr_000501_tradelaws.html
2. [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_301_of_the_Trade_Act_of_1974
3. [3] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 92: World Constitutions > TRADE, COMMERCE AND INTERCOURSE > p. 704