This book investigates how the 1982 U.S.-E.C. Steel Trade Arrangements were formulated through the complex intersection of judicial trade enforcement, domestic political pressure, and international economic interests. Michael K. Levine, drawing on his expertise in trade policy, analyzes the evolution of these arrangements by examining the interplay between U.S. fair trade laws and the strategic maneuvers of the steel industry. The author argues that the industry successfully leveraged a judicialized dispute settlement system to compel the government to adopt protectionist measures that were initially resisted by policymakers.

Experts and scholars of international trade policy recognize this work as a detailed case study on the mechanics of protectionist negotiation. Readers frequently note the technical density of the prose, which provides a granular look at the intersection of law and industrial policy.