The Export Trade Exception to the Antitrust Laws: The Old Webb-Pomerene Act and the New Export Trading Company Act

This Article discusses the history of the Webb Act as a prelude to a discussion of the new legislation. Because the standards in the new Export Act are similar to those in the Webb Act, the precedents under the Webb Act will remain important for interpreting the new legislation. Furthermore, a review of the Webb Act and of the alternatives proposed over the years gives an insight into the reasoning behind having an export exception to the antitrust laws... This Article will examine the Webb Act and its operation; the courts' treatment of the Webb Act; the manifold suggestions and recommendations for amending, changing, repealing, or replacing it; and finally, the new Export Trading Company Act of 1982 and the changes it made.