November 12, 2015
November 16 – 20, 2015
2015 WTO Academy Program Syllabus
Program Scope
The Academy of WTO Law and Policy is an intensive professional development program
examining the legal obligations and policy underpinnings of the World Trade Organization and
its agreements. The Academy will concentrate on the substance of the WTO agreements, but
also will examine the context in which they were negotiated and discuss cases in which WTO
provisions have been interpreted and applied. The goal is for participants to understand not
only the agreements, but also the forces that shape negotiating positions in the WTO and to
strengthen participants’ critical thinking about the role of the WTO in solving commercial
problems and addressing fundamental policy challenges.
The five days of the Academy will include focused examination of key areas of WTO obligations,
with several opportunities for interaction with fellow Academy participants, including
workshops analyzing hypothetical problems.
Reading Materials
Participants are strongly encouraged to read the assigned materials, and also would benefit
from reading the additional recommended materials, which will enhance their understanding of
each subject area. Recognizing that the Academy covers extensive subject matter in a short
period, the Academy organizers strongly urge that participants read as much material as
possible prior to arriving at the Academy.
Most of the reading assignments are contained in Peter Van den Bossche and Werner Zdouc,
THE LAW AND POLICY OF THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION: TEXT, CASES AND MATERIALS, Cambridge
University Press (3rd ed. 2013) (hereafter Van den Bossche.) The text will be delivered to
participants who register prior to November 9 and have a domestic shipping address. Those
who do not do so will be provided a copy at the start of the Academy.
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November 12, 2015
Most of the speakers have prepared outlines or speaking notes, some with attachments. They
will be distributed to participants on a flash drive data stick upon registration at the Academy.
Participants will benefit greatly from reading them before the presentation.
Participants are encouraged to skim the official legal texts of all the WTO agreements. The
texts are available on the Georgetown Law website at:
http://www.ll.georgetown.edu/intl/guides/FromtheGATTtotheWTO.cfm#textofagreements
and the WTO website at: http://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/legal_e.htm.
Those new to the subject matter also may wish to read Understanding the WTO,
available online at:
http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/tif_e/understanding_e.pdf .
Participants are encouraged to bring their laptop computers. Wireless internet access will be
available for the duration of the program.
This syllabus is being sent to participants electronically to facilitate use of hyperlinks to the
documents available online.
Monday
November 16
8:00
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Registration Opens; Continental Breakfast offered.
8:45 – 9:00
Welcoming Remarks & Program Overview: Academy Chair Chris Parlin
9:00 – 10:30
Historical background, Bretton Woods origins, evolution from GATT to WTO:
Mike Gadbaw


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Historical Background; Institutional Issues; Border Measures;
Non-Discrimination; Non-Discrimination Workshop
Assigned Reading
 Pages 74-136, Van den Bossche (Sections 2.1-2.4)1
 John H. Jackson, “History of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade” in
Wolfrum, Stoll and Hestermeyer (eds.), WTO – Trade in Goods, pp. 1-24
(2010); available on the flash drive data stick distributed to Academy
participants.
For additional information
 Van Grasstek, The History and Future of the WTO, WTO (2013)
10:30 – 10:45
Coffee Break
10:45 – 12:15
WTO legal structure, institutional provisions, decision-making, accession of
new Members, role of civil society and NGOs: Chris Parlin
Assigned Reading
• Pages 40-59, Van den Bossche (Section 1.4)
• Pages 136-154, Van den Bossche (Sections 2.5-2.7)
NOTE: all Van den Bossche page references are to the paperback version of the 3rd edition. Pages in the hardback
version may be different. Rely on the Section references.
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November 12, 2015
3
12:15 – 1:15
Lunch
1:15 – 2:45
Border measures (tariffs, quotas, customs valuation, rules of origin): Jason
Bernstein
Assigned Reading
• Pages 418-470, Van den Bossche (Sections 6.1-6.3 - Tariffs)
• Pages 480-498, Van den Bossche (Sections 7.1-7.2 - Quantitative Restrictions)
• Pages 457-460, Van den Bossche (Section 6.2.8.2 - Customs Valuation)
• Pages 460-463, Van den Bossche (Section 6.2.8.3 - Rules of Origin)
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2:45 – 3:00
Coffee Break
3:00 – 4:30
Non-discrimination (MFN and National Treatment): David Christy
Assigned Reading
• Pages 315-335, & 349-403 Van den Bossche (Sections 4.1-4.2 & 5.15.2)
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4:30 – 6:00
Workshop – MFN & National Treatment: David Christy & David Townsend
Assigned Reading
• Exercise: “Beer in Newland”; available on the flash drive data stick distributed
to Academy participants.
6:00 – 7:30
Tuesday
November 17
6
Opening Reception, Gewirz 12th Floor
Regional Negotiations; TBT; Agriculture; SPS; Trade Facilitation
8:30 – 9:00
Check in and Continental Breakfast
9:00 – 10:30
Ongoing Mega-Regional & Plurilateral Negotiations (TPP, TTIP, ISA, etc.):
Meredith Lewis
Assigned Reading
 http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/content/tpp-china-and-future-global-tradeorder
 http://blogs.piie.com/trade/?p=436
 http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/pressroomredirect.cfm?ID=5662
 http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/what-is-ttip-and-sixreasons-why-the-answer-should-scare-you-9779688.html
 http://www.bbc.com/news/business-32691589
 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deborah-james/huge-internationalcoalit_b_7788358.html
10:30 – 10:45
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10:45 – 12:15
Coffee Break
Technical Barriers to Trade (technical regulations & standards):
Simon Lester
Assigned Reading
• Pages 850-891, Van den Bossche (Chapter 13)
12:15 – 1:15
Lunch
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November 12, 2015
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1:15 – 2:45
Trade in agriculture - market access and subsidies: Jim Grueff
Assigned Reading
 Pages 835-845, Van den Bossche (Section 12.9 - Subsidies)
 Pages 488-489, Van den Bossche (Section 7.2.2.3 – Quantitative
Restrictions)
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2:45 – 3:00
Coffee Break
3:00 – 4:30
Sanitary & phytosanitary measures: Jim Grueff
Assigned Reading
 Pages 894-950, Van den Bossche (Chapter 14)
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4:30 – 6:00
Trade Facilitation: Courtney Smothers
Assigned Reading
• The WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, annexed to the Protocol
Amending the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade
Organization, 28 November 2014, Document WT/L/940; available on the
flash drive stick distributed to Academy paraticipants.
• Review WTO website on trade facilitation negotiations; available at
http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tradfa_e/tradfa_e.htm
Recommended reading:
• Executive Summary, World Trade Report 2015; available at:
https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/publications_e/wtr15_e.htm
• Nora Neufeld, The Long and Winding Road: How WTO Members
Finally Reached a Trade Facilitation Agreement (2014), Staff Working
Paper ERSD-2014-06, Economic Research and Statistics Division, World
Trade Organization; available at
https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/reser_e/ersd201406_e.pdf
• Abstract & Executive Summary of Moïsé, E. and S. Sorescu (2013),
“Trade Facilitation Indicators: The Potential Impact of Trade Facilitation
on Developing Countries' Trade”, OECD Trade Policy Papers, No. 144,
OECD Publishing; available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/5k4bw6kg6ws2en
• Abstract & Executive Summary of Moïsé, E., T. Orliac and P. Minor
(2011), “Trade Facilitation Indicators: The Impact on Trade Costs”,
OECD Trade Policy Working Papers, No. 118, OECD Publishing;
available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/5kg6nk654hmr-en
• Executive Summary of “Enabling Trade, Valuing Growth
Opportunities”, World Economic Forum, Geneva, Switzerland, 2013;
available at
http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_SCT_EnablingTrade_Report_2013.
pdf
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November 12, 2015
Wednesday
November 18
11
GATS; TRIPS; Dispute Settlement; Dispute Settlement Workshop; Exceptions
8:30 – 9:00
Check in and Continental Breakfast
9:00 – 10:30
Trade in services and recent GATS disputes: Andy Shoyer
Assigned Reading
• Pages 45-47, Van den Bossche (Section 1.4.1.3 – GATS)
• Pages 335-345, Van den Bossche (Section 4.3 – MFN Treatment)
• Pages 403-414, Van den Bossche (Section 5.3 - National Treatment)
• Pages 514-537, Van den Bossche (Sections 7.4-7.5 - Market Access)
• Pages 583-594, Van den Bossche (Section 8.3 – General Exceptions)
10:30 – 10:45
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10:45 – 12:15
Coffee Break
Intellectual property protection: TRIPS obligations and derogations: Eric Solovy
Assigned Reading
• Pages 951-1016, Van den Bossche (Chapter 15)
 Request for the Establishment of a Panel by Cuba, Australia – Certain
Measures Concerning Trademarks, Geographical Indications and other Plain
Packaging Requirements Applicable to Tobacco Products and Packaging,
WT/DS458/14 (circulated 14 April 2014); available on the flash drive data
stick distributed to Academy participants.
12:15 – 1:15
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1:15 – 2:45
Lunch
WTO Dispute Settlement - procedures, compliance and remedies: Jennifer
Hillman
Assigned Reading
• Pages 160-172, 179-205 & 244-298, Van den Bossche (Sections 3.2, 3.4 & 3.6)
• Articles 1-25 of the WTO Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU);
available at http://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/28-dsu.pdf
Recommended Reading
• Pages 157-311, Van den Bossche
(Chapter 3)
Suggested additional reading
 Understanding the WTO, pages 55-61; available at:
http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/tif_e/understanding_e.pdf
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2:45 – 3:00
Coffee break
3:00 – 4:30
Workshop: WTO Dispute Settlement: Jennifer Hillman & Andy Shoyer
Assigned Reading
Exercise: “Right Over Might”; Pages 311-314, Van den Bossche
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November 12, 2015
15
4:30 – 6:00
General exceptions (GATT Articles XX and XXI) - health, environment and other
concerns: Steve Charnovitz
Assigned Reading
 Pages 543-604, Van den Bossche (Chapter 8)
 Carefully read GATT Articles XX and XXI; available at the Georgetown Law
and WTO websites at: http://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/legal_e.htm
http://www.ll.georgetown.edu/intl/guides/FromtheGATTtotheWTO.cfm#texto
fagreements
Thursday
November 19
16
Government Procurement; Safeguards; Anti-Dumping; Subsidies;
Workshop
8:30 – 9:00
Check in and Continental Breakfast
9:00 – 10:30
Government Procurement: Jean Grier
Assigned Reading
 Government Procurement in the WTO (2015); available
at: https://app.box.com/s/mpkk5wimx68xxa619mrfr9awxmyrxab4
 Comparison of GPA Parties’ Coverage of Other Entities (April 2015);
available at: https://app.box.com/s/b86emg30mtkfzcfa6u2ulxnls71w1e49
 "What Are the Prospects for Concluding Work on China’s GPA Accession in
2015?", 24 Public Procurement Law Review, Issue No.6 (2015), available at:
https://app.box.com/s/q5609n3jxbpofynal6ccbuq1x1o3salo
10:30 – 10:45
17
10:45 – 12:15
Coffee break
Safeguards (escape clause measures, textile safeguards, special safeguards under
accession agreements); injury determinations for trade remedies: Tim Brightbill
Assigned Reading:
• Pages 606-632 & 634-635, Van den Bossche (Sections 9.19.2 & 9.3.2)
Recommended Reading
• China WTO Accession Protocol, section 16 (WT/L/432
at pages 9-10) ("Transitional Product-Specific Safeguard
Mechanism"); available at
http://www.mac.doc.gov/China/ProtocolandDecision.pdf
• Steel 201 Appellate Body Report - findings and conclusions only (pages 170172); available at:
http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/248_259_abr_e.doc
12:15 – 1:15
Lunch
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November 12, 2015
18
1:15 – 2:45
Dumping and antidumping measures: Stacy Ettinger
Assigned Reading
• Agreement on Implementation of Article VI of the General Agreement on
Tariffs and Trade 1994 (“Anti-Dumping Agreement”), especially Articles 1,
2.1-2.6, 3.1-3.8, 4.1, 5.1, 5.4- 5.10, 6.1, 6.8-6.12, 7.1, 8.1, 9.1-9.3, 13, 15,
17.1-17.4 & 18.1; available at:
http://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/19-adp.pdf
Recommended Reading
• Gary Horlick and Edwin Vermulst, The 10 Major
Problems with the Anti-Dumping Instrument: An
Attempt at Synthesis (2005)
39(1) J OF WORLD TRADE 67
Suggested Additional Reading
• Pages 674-742, Van den Bossche (Chapter 11)
• Michael Trebilcock and Robert Howse, THE REGULATION OF
INTERNATIONAL TRADE 3RD ED. (Routledge: London, 2005) 250-261
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2:45 – 3:00
Coffee break
3:00 – 4:30
Subsidies and countervailing measures: Bonnie Byers
Assigned Reading
• Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, especially Articles 1-7,
10-12, 14-21, 27 & 30-32; available at:
http://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/24-scm.pdf
• Overview of the SCM Agreement from the WTO website;
available at:
http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/scm_e/subs_e.htm
Suggested Additional Reading
• Pages 745-832, 834-835 & 845-849, Van den Bossche (Sections 12.1-12.6, 12.8
& 12.10)
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4:30 – 6:00
Workshop: Anti-Dumping & Subsidies: Stacy Ettinger & Bonnie Byers
Assigned Reading:
 “Exercise: Dirty Play, But by Whom?”; pages 612-613, Van den Bossche
Friday
November 20
21
Climate Change; Developing Country Issues; WTO in Broader Context;
WTO Staying Relevant
8:30 – 9:00
Check in and Continental Breakfast
9:00 – 10:30
Trade and the Environment: Climate Change: Sonia Rolland
Assigned Reading
Outline and Assigned Reading available on the flash drive data stick
distributed to Academy participants.
10:30 – 10:45
Coffee break
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November 12, 2015
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10:45 – 12:15
Developing country issues and interests: Sonia Rolland
Assigned Reading
Outline and Assigned Reading available on the flash drive data stick
distributed to Academy participants.
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12:15 – 1:15
Lunch
1:15 – 2:45
The WTO in the broader context of financial regulation, monetary policy &
global regulation: Mike Gadbaw
Assigned Reading
R. Michael Gadbaw, “Systemic Regulation of Global Trade and Finance: A Tale
of Two Systems,” Journal of International Economic Law 2010 13: 551-574;
available at:
http://jiel.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/jgq031?ijkey=906zGzoMUwMtqvm&keyt
ype=ref
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2:45 – 4:15
What the WTO needs to address to stay relevant: Chuck Levy
Assigned Reading
• “Azevêdo says Bali impasse paralyzing WTO work,” Report to the Trade
Negotiations Committee, 16 October 2014; available at
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news14_e/tnc_stat_16oct14_e.htm
• GATT Article XVII (State Trading Enterprises); available at
http://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/gatt47_01_e.htm#art
icleXVII
• Coalition of Service Industries, State-Owned Enterprises: Correcting a 21st
Century Market Distortion (2/22/2011) ; available on the flash drive data stick
distributed to Academy participants
• Terms of Reference for the High-Level Regulatory Cooperation Council
(March 3, 2011); available on the flash drive data stick distributed to Academy
participants
Recommended Reading
• Executive Order 13609 of May 1, 2012, Promoting International Regulatory
Cooperation, 77 Fed. Reg. 26413 (May 4, 2012) ; available on the flash drive
data stick distributed to Academy participants
• Global Regulatory Cooperation Project, U.S. Chamber of Commerce,
TPP Regulatory Coherence (December 8, 2010); available on the flash
drive data stick distributed to Academy participants
•
• High Level Regulatory Cooperation Forum – Stakeholder Session (10 April
2013); available on the flash drive data stick distributed to Academy participants
4:15 – 5:30
Closing reception – Gewirz 12th floor
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