Syllabus
«WTO law and trade policy»
1. Course Description
a. Title of a Course
“WTO law and trade policy”
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b. Pre-requisites
basic knowledge of WTO law,
upper-intermediate level of oral and written English
c. Course Type (compulsory, elective, optional)
elective
d. Abstract
The course provides students an opportunity to deepen their knowledge on WTO Law have
already received them earlier while the basic course. In fact, the advanced level course is
offered for those who plan further academic career or a career in the public service in the field
of international trade, in large export oriented state-owned corporations and international
business. During the course we focus on several topics which are because of their complexity
not included in the basic course, or taught their very limitedly. In addition, as interdisciplinary
approach a significant attention will be given to some economic concepts that are at the heart of
WTO law. An important component of the course are guest lectures of foreign scientists, as well
as the final simulation game "International trade negotiations."
2. Learning Objectives
Primary purpose of the course is to help students to understand the logic of international trade
policy and regulation. Both dimensions 1) how the trade is regulated and 2) why regulations is
so will be discussed a lot. Finally students should better to understand international trade
economics, rules, politics and institutions, and the major policy issues and challenges facing the
global trading system. More than 15 WTO Dispute settlement Body core cases will be object
of the course analysis. We’ll research how different countries brought their arguments to WTO
and how then DSB motivated accepting or rejecting proper arguments. This course is also a
platform for preparation of students for participation in both annual ELSA Moot Court
Competition on WTO law and oikos Model WTO simulation.
3. Learning Outcomes
Students must gain knowledge on:
─ Economic concepts are at the heart of WTO law;
─ Specific parts of WTO law (rules of origin, price evaluation preferential trade agreements
etc.);
─ Russian commitments taken while joining the WTO and current Russia-WTO
relationships;
─ Interaction of different legal regimes like WTO law, EU law and national law of EU
memberstates.
Students should gain skills, abilities and competences:
─ to find and research both economic and legal information related to international trade,
national trade policy;
─ to know and deeply understand specific terminology and sources of WTO law;
─ to build up legal positions which meet the DSB standards;
─ to read and analyze papers by western scholars;
─ skills of oral in-class discussions with western scholars;
─ preparation for participation in International law competitions.
4. Course Plan
I Tariff and non-tariff exceptions. Political economy behind the WTO rules
II Economic emergency exceptions
III Rules of Origin. Methods of customs valuation (price determination)
IV Technical barriers to Trade
V Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
VI Regional Trade Agreements and Preferential Trade Agreements. Special and differential
treatment
VII Intellectual Property rights in specific sectors. Lecture and class discussion with
Ioannis Lianos, UCL
prof.
VIII Interaction of WTO law and European Union Law. Future of European Trade. Lecture and
class discussion with prof. Friedl Weiss, University of Vienna
IX Russia in WTO
X Final course game International Trade Negotiations
5. Reading List
a. Required. Coursebooks
-The Law of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Documents, cases and analysis by Petros
C.Mavroidis, Mark Wu / Thomson Reuters Second Edition 2013
-Trade in Goods. The GATT and Other WTO Agreements Regulating Trade in Goods by by
Petros C.Mavroidis / Oxford University Press Second edition 2013
-The Law and Policy of the World Trade Organization by Peter Van Den Bossche and Werner
Zdouc / Cambridge University Press Third edition 2013
-The Regulation of international trade by Michael Trebilcock, Robert Howse and Antonia
Eliason /Taylor and Francia Group Fourth edition 2013
-Bernard Hoekman and Michel M. Kostecki, The Political Economy of the World Trading
System,3rd Edition / Oxford University Press Third edition 2009
b. Optional
In progress
6. Grading System
Final exam; rating system (incl. written and oral tasks, WTO negotiations simulation game).
7. Guidelines for Knowledge Assessment
Grading of students will be based on the accumulative system of points granted for:
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written vocabulary checks in each class (regular control of theoretical knowledge),
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cold calls in class,
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oral class discussions,
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written homework (critics of scientific articles),
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participation in the simulation,
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final exam.
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8. Methods of Instruction
use of interactive educational technologies (problematic lectures, Socrates method, work in
small groups);
class discussions with visiting Western law professors
application of the simulation (WTO negotiations);
9. Special Equipment and Software Support (if required)
Power-point presentations, LMS, Internet