Course title

WTO Law

Teacher(s)Manjiao CHI、KAWASHIMA Fujio

Numbering Code

Day・PeriodOther

開講区分単位数2nd semester

1.0

Timetable Slot
Code3J318

Lesson topic
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the world’s most important trade governance body today. Almost all of thetrading powers of the world are its members. Knowledge of WTO law and WTO dispute settlement is thus indispensablefor traders, policy-makers, lawyers and academics in properly understanding the world trading system. Also, theongoing WTO crisis and prospective WTO reform further necessitates the study of WTO law.

Lesson target
This course aims at offering a comprehensive study of WTO law from various perspectives. It will introduce theevolution of the world trading system, analyze major WTO agreements and rules governing tariffs and non-tariffbarriers (especially the GATT and GATS), explain major institutional functions of the WTO, including tradenegotiations and policy review and dispute settlement, explore WTO dispute settlement, and discuss some cuttingedge world trade issues pertaining to the WTO. Students will be able to acquire necessary knowledge of the WTO law
and dispute settlement, and to be provoked to reflect the future of the world trading system.
Syllabus and plan
In total, eight lectures (each of one and a half hours) will be dedicated to the course. They will cover thevarious aspects of WTO law and aiming at answering some fundamental legal issues in the field of international
trade law. First, it starts from an introduction of the history of the world trading system since the Second WorldWar. Second, it discusses the major functions of the WTO as an institution (trade negotiation, dispute settlement
and policy review). Third, as the major part of this course, it elaborates the major WTO rules while based on therelevant WTO agreements (such as GATT, GATS, TRIPs), answering the fundamental question how WTO rules are designed
to defend free trade and a multilateral trading system. Fourth, it discuss the WTO dispute settlement, mainly froma procedural perspective, while combining analysis of some typical WTO cases. Finally, it also discusses some key
and cutting-edge WTO law-related issues, including the WTO crisis and reform, the regionalization andunilateralization of trade governance.
Evaluation method
The evaluation of performance of this course will be based on course participation, presentation, and a short term
paper (approximately 2500 words including footnotes).
Evaluation baseline
With the method stated above, grades will be determined in accordance with the degrees of achievement of theobjectives.
Notice (include info. on related class)
N/A
Review and preparation
Students are encouraged to prepare for each of the class, read the reference materials and engage in discussion inclass. Extra reading is encouraged, but not compulsory.
Office hour・Contact information
Immediately after the second class of the day, if there is a need of the students.
Message for student
N/AImprovemenets in Teaching
N/AText

4th ed., The Law and Policy of the World Trade Organization / Peter van den Bossche & Werner Zdouc : Cambridge:Cambridge University Press ,2017 ,ISBN:
Reference Material

The World Trade Organization: Law, Economics and Politics / Bernard M. Hoekman & Petros C. Mavroidis : Routledge,2007 ,ISBN:The Genesis of the GATT / Douglas A. Irwin, Petros C. Mavroidis & Alan O. Sykes : Cambridge University Press ,2008,ISBN:A Handbook on the WTO Dispute Settlement System (2nd edn.) / World Trade Organization : Cambridge University Press,2017 ,ISBN:Classroom Language
EnglishKeywords
International Trade Governance; WTO Agreements, Dispute Settlement, WTO Crisis and Reform