2023/24 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

LAW5655M World Trade Organisation Law

15 creditsClass Size: 120

Module manager: Professor Surya Subedi
Email: S.P.Subedi@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2023/24

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

The big shifts in economic relations witnessed in the recent past have underlined the significance of international trade regulation in international economic relations among States. It is in this context that this course aims to consider and evaluate in detail some of the main topics within the WTO/GATT regime from the perspectives of both developed and developing countries. Particular attention will be paid to trade in goods and services, the trade- related aspects of intellectual property rights (TRIPs) and the dispute settlement mechanism of the WTO. It will cover the substantive Rules of the GATT/WTO System and the legal and institutional aspects of the WTO and look at in more details some of the main WTO agreements such as the Agreement on Agriculture as well as the mechanism to the distortion of international trade.

Objectives

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students would be able:
- to understand the genesis of the WTO/GATT law;
- to have an understanding of the international law of trade in goods and services;
- to analyse the working of the WTO;
- to appreciate the social, economic and political dimensions to the WTO/GATT law;
- to assess critically the provisions of the main WTO agreements;
- to develop a critical understanding of the trade related aspects of intellectual property;
- to have a deeper understanding of the dispute settlement mechanism of the WTO;
- to understand the interplay between law and politics as well law and economics in regulating international trade;
- to analyse critically the relationship between trade and the environment as well as international trade and human rights;
- to apply the knowledge obtained in relation to the WTO/GATT Law so as to identify and analyse problems which arise in the law and practice of resolving international trade disputes.

Syllabus

The ten x 1.5 hour sessions cover the following themes:

- From GATT to WTO
- Dispute Settlement
- Trade in Goods
- Intellectual Property Rights: The TRIPS Agreement
- Trade in Services
- Trade in Agriculture
- Trade and Environment
- The WTO and Developing Countries
- Student Led Seminar on a Current Dispute
- Post Uruguay Round Developments

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Seminar	10	1.50	15.00
Private study hours			135.00
Total Contact hours			15.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			150.00

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

A formative assessment opportunity will be provided.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	1 x 4,000 word essay	100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 06/10/2023 09:27:52

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