International trade law

This course offers a solid knowledge of the fundamentals of international trade law and seeks to expose the students to the major challenges faced by the global trading system established under the World Trade Organization (WTO), from the economic nationalism to the conclusion of preferential trade agreements. It focuses on the WTO rules and covers the core disciplines of trade in goods and trade in services as well as the more specialized WTO agreement on the protection of intellectual property rights. The analysis of substantive WTO law will rely on the case law, thus providing a practical understanding of the implications of trade law on domestic policies. In particular, the course will pay due consideration to trade disputes on the protection of the environment and of human health and life, and address the relationship between the global trading system and preferential trade agreements.

At the end of the course, students will be able to apply the basic concepts of public international law to the realm of inter-State trade relations. In particular, they will have acquired a solid knowledge of the fundamentals of international trade law established under the WTO and preferential trade agreements and be able to grasp the implication of the international trade agreements on the design and implementation of domestic policies. These objectives will be achieved through the direct involvement of students in the analysis of real and hypothetical case studies and in on/off-line activities. This will contribute in strengthening their ability in oral and written communication and their critical analysis skills.