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International Trade Law: The Law and Policy of the WTO - LAWS2084
Law Books

 
Faculty: Faculty of Law
 
 
School:  Faculty of Law
 
 
Course Outline: See below
 
 
Campus: Kensington Campus
 
 
Career: Undergraduate
 
 
Units of Credit: 8
 
 
EFTSL: 0.16667 (more info)
 
 
Indicative Contact Hours per Week: 4
 
 
Enrolment Requirements:
 
 
Prerequisite LAWS1001, LAWS1011; or LAWS1610. Corequisite LAWS2311 or LAWS1010
 
 
Excluded: LAWS9972
 
 
Fee Band: 3 (more info)
 
 
Further Information: See Class Timetable
 
 

Description

The focus of this course is on the legal structure that affects globalization. For our purposes we can think of globalization as the process by which national economies become interdependent and interlinked. This course introduces students to the legal, business and policy aspects of international trade, focusing on the complex legal framework of the various WTO Agreements. This course analyses the legal framework of the WTO by studying the regulatory legal principles of the WTO and how they operate at both the national and international level. More specifically, the course covers issues such as tariffs and tariff negotiations, quotas, most favoured nation clauses, regional trading blocs, national treatment clauses and exceptions for environmental, health and safety and other policies, anti-dumping, export subsidies, countervailing duties, international rules on patents and copyrights and other topics of contemporary importance currently being debated. The course should give participants a sound understanding of key legal issues and principles relating to international trade and a thorough knowledge and understanding of the importance of domestic and international policy issues to the world trading system.

Recommended Prior Knowledge

There are no prerequisites for this course and no background in economics, international relations or international law is assumed.

Course Objectives

This course will assist student in:
  • Developing their knowledge and understanding of the core principles of international trade law applicable to the regulation of international trade in goods, services, intellectual property and investment
  • Learning to interpret WTO and FTA legal texts
  • Becoming knowledgeable about the WTO and FTA dispute settlement systems and dispute settlement decisions
  • Evaluating the complex intersections between the regulation of international trade and domestic regulatory authority
  • Recognising and appreciating the intersection between law, economics, politics and public policy that inevitably occur in any international trade negotiation or agreement

Main Topics

  • History and structure of the WTO
  • Dispute Settlement procedures
  • General principles of the WTO
  • Trade in goods, trade in services, trade and intellectual property and trade and agriculture
  • Free trade agreements
  • Contemporary issues (such as trade and the environment, labour, etc)
  • The intersection between trade law and policy

Assessment

The final grade for the course for every student will be based upon a combination of class participation, class debates, reflection notes and written assignments. 100% attendance is compulsory.

Class Participation 15%
Debates or other classroom presentations 20%
One Research/Writing Assignment 65%

Course Texts

Prescribed
Simon Lester/Bryan Mercurio (with Arwel Davies and Kara Leitner), World Trade Law, Hart Publishing 2008.

Students should also print out or purchase copies of the relevant WTO Agreements.

Recommended
None

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© The University of New South Wales (CRICOS Provider No.: 00098G), 2004-2011. The information contained in this Handbook is indicative only. While every effort is made to keep this information up-to-date, the University reserves the right to discontinue or vary arrangements, programs and courses at any time without notice and at its discretion. While the University will try to avoid or minimise any inconvenience, changes may also be made to programs, courses and staff after enrolment. The University may also set limits on the number of students in a course.