1st Day
How international trade is regulated.
a)The context of the creation of the GATT and later the WTO, and to explain why and how international cooperation resulted in the multilateral trading system (MTS).
b)The main objectives of the MTS:
a.Trade liberalization.
b.Monitoring, surveillance and transparency
c.Research.
d.Technical Cooperation
e.Dispute settlement.
c)Membership
a.Original members
b.Accessions
c.Relations with other International organizations
d.Decision-making: a member-driven organization?
e.Role of the Secretariat
d)Non-discrimination principle
a.Most-favorite nation (MFN)
b.National Treatment (NT)
c.Trade in Services MFN & NT
d.TRIPS MFN
e.Exceptions: Art XXIV of GATT, Art. V of GATS, Developing countries, Antidumping Duties and Countervailing Measures, Plurilateral Agreements, Security Exceptions (Arts XXI GATT, XXIV GATS, 73 TRIPS)
e)Liberalization. How negotiations are conducted
a.Trade in Goods
b.Trade in Services
c.TRIPS
d.Why did the Doha Round fail?
2nd Day
Covered Agreements. The purpose is to go through each of the agreements under the WTO in order to have a general idea of the rules and disciplines embodied in the MTS. See Annex A
3rd Day
Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and Customs Union. Why and how countries negotiate FTAs and Customs Unions.
4th Day
Main Challenges of the MTS
a)Measuring Trade in Value Added
b)Global Supply Chains
c)Special Differential Treatment and “developing” countries
d)Measuring protectionism
e)The increasing regulatory activity: protecting the consumer
f)Research: leveling the playing field
g)Technology, innovation and the demographic curve
h)New areas: investment, e-commerce, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
An exercise. Students will be required to address a specific topic (for example the so-called issue of the market economy status and China’s accession Protocol. The specific format will depend on the number of students. This may be an exercise of debate (as in a legal dispute or a meeting of the WTO General Council) or a negotiating exercise.
