Handbook

This course examines the way in which the World Trade Organisation (the WTO) regulates international trade. The course begins by examining the arguments for and against the regulation of international trade, and the historical development of the WTO Agreements. The course will then survey the major WTO Agreements, such as the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (the GATT) and the General Agreement on Trade in Services (the GATS). The course will also provide insight into some of the major concepts and controversies in present day international trade law. It is hoped that by completing this course, students will gain a balanced perspective into the strengths and weaknesses of the WTO system, and a working knowledge of the way in which the WTO affects domestic regulation of international trade.

Main Topics

• Globalisation and the rationales for and against free trade;
• The history of trade liberalization and the origins of the WTO;
• Overview of the major agreements, such as the GATT, the GATS, and the Dispute Settlement Understanding;
• Researching WTO law;
• Reform of the WTO and the Doha Round;
• Interlinkages of trade and development, human rights and environmental issues.