"Every year, China issues more than 10,000 new standards governing industries from mobile phones to autos," the article said, more than the rest of the world combined.
At least since the 1990s, there have been informal talks about an agreement that would reduce or eliminate already low tariffs and — more crucially for many businesses — harmonize regulations governing industries like pharmaceuticals and auto parts.
An inconsistent mixture of Labor Department opinions and lawsuit judgments has governed industry practice through the years, she said, adding, "It was time, long overdue, to clarify the rules".
In essence, all of the ways that we create energy, govern industries, construct buildings, cities, and transit systems, and use land for agriculture and resource extraction will have to change.
Robert Shireman, a former Department of Education official who helped craft the original regulations governing the industry, told the Times that lobbying by the industry played a role in "watering down" the final regulations.
Catherine Wannamaker, a lawyer for several environmental groups that support the moratorium, said six months is a reasonable time for drilling to be suspended while the government studies the risks and regulations governing the industry.
Mr. Myers said his agents follow the tough consumer protection laws governing the industry in Texas.
Mr. Bromwich has been carefully reviewing shallow-water drilling as he draws up new regulations governing the industry.
The suits against mutual fund companies rely on laws governing that industry, rather than those used in most shareholder suits.
