This module is designed to offer a critical
overview of what can be described as the legal and regulatory
foundations of the contemporary global economy. The module will
introduce and examine aspects of international economic law within its
longer imperial history and its contemporary evolving context of
economic, political, social and cultural globalization. It will provide
an overview of the legal and other regulatory foundations of the global
economy and critically consider the operations of the main global
institutions and frameworks governing international economic relations.
The course will also consider the role of international economic actors,
both state and non-state, in shaping and influencing these regulatory
frameworks.
This is a course on the law and policy of international trade. The course will build on the short introduction to the WTO in the IEL core module and explore the treaty-based WTO international economic law system, its principal agreements and institutions, its core doctrines, and the current proposals for reform.
The WTO is regarded as one of the most successful international organisations governing activities between states because it has a highly effective dispute settlement system. The course will explore whether the WTO remains relevant in an increasingly globalised world where economic disputes typically cover national, transnational and international law as well as a multiplicity of economic actors, like states and multinational corporations. It will evaluate the effectiveness of the WTO rules against the background of the rise of the mega-regional agreements- the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA). It will consider how demands for trade justice affect how we interpret the WTO rules and what reforms of WTO rules may be necessary to achieve that goal.