The World Trade Organization (WTO) serves as the only and the most important multilateral institution addressing the rules of trade between nations. In today’s globalized world, as trade increases and regional market integration deepens, legal issues of international economic relations are becoming more and more complicated. The issues facing the WTO are widening and go beyond a purely trade dimension. It might reach cross-cutting issues on foreign investment, environment, food safety, disease control, public moral, culture protection and human right. It is of immense importance for law students to have some broad understanding about WTO laws so as to know the essence of globalization and economic integration. The basic knowledge of WTO is also useful for understanding other fields of law, such as intellectual property law, service related laws (financial regulations, telecommunication laws, among others), international health law, and public international law. This course will be conducted in English.
Main topic to be discussed:
1. The WTO: History and structure
2. WTO Dispute Settlement
3. Tariffs
4. Quantitative Restrictions
5. National Treatment
6. Most-Favored-Nation Treatment
7. Regional Trade Agreements
8. General Exceptions: GATT Article XX
9. Dumping and Antidumping
10. Subsidies and Countervailing Duties
11. Safeguards
12. Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
13. Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade
14. Trade in Services
15. Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights