/studier/emner/jus/jus/JUS5850/h12/tekster/ITL_Mock%20exam.pdfInternational Trade Law - JUS5850

Detailed course outline and suggested reading

Responsible for course: Ole Kristian Fauchald, e-mail: o.k.fauchald@jus.uio.no

Please note that this outline is preliminary and will be subject to revision. In particular, there is a new edition of the Bossche & Zdouc book, and the outline has not been updated in this regard.

Please note that the teaching will be based on the assumption that you have read the mandatory readings and relevant case law and that you have worked on the exercises prior to classes.

Powerpoints for lectures will be published prior to or soon after teaching dates. We will also try to make podcasts of the lectures available in Fronter.

Please note that "supplementary reading" is not mandatory, and that you will not be expected to demonstrate knowledge acquired through such readings during the exam.

Group work ("study groups") will be organised through Fronter. You can sign up to one or more study groups according to your own schedule and priorities. Groups are expected to meet to prepare presentations on the Friday before the relevant class at 14.15-16.00, unless the group decides otherwise. We may restrict the number of participating students for a particular group. Those who have registered for fewer groups will be prioritized. The groups shall make oral presentations of approximately 20 minutes (unless informed otherwise) and make the presentation (for example a PowerPoint presentation) accessible to the other students in Fronter.

Preparation of case law: You should read through the relevant parts of the cases before class, and be prepared to discuss them and answer questions.

Exam:

• Previous exams

• Previous exam with comments: 2011

• Rules on auxiliary materials, for rules concerning notations, see section 4. Notation example.

• Mock exam: Deadline for submitting the mock exam will be announced. The paper must be handed in through Fronter. For more information, see bottom of page.

Class 1: The basics of international trade law

Lecture

Reading:

• Mandatory: Bossche & Zdouc pages 74-155 or Trebilcock et al. pages 1-53 (2017 edition of Bossche & Zdouc pp. 80-162).

Web-pages of interest:

• WTO resources
• WTO disputes
• Trade news - International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development
• Trade news - WorldTradeLaw.net

Main scientific journals (free Access through this link):

• Journal of World Trade
• Journal of International Economic Law

Class 2: Methodology in WTO law

Lecture

Reading:

• Mandatory: Bossche & Zdouc pages 156-314 or Trebilcock et al. pages 172-226 (pages on NAFTA can be omitted) (2017 edition of Bossche & Zdouc pp. 164-303).
• Supplementary: Mavroidis, No Outsourcing of Law? WTO Law as Practiced by WTO Courts, American Journal of International law, Vol. 102, 2008 No. 3, p. 421-475.
• Supplementary: Pauwelyn, Joost. "The Role of Public International Law in the WTO: How far can we go?." American Journal of International Law (2001): 535-578.
• Supplementary: Van Damme, Isabelle. "Treaty interpretation by the WTO appellate body." European Journal of International Law 21.3 (2010): 605-648.

Primary materials:

• The Dispute Settlement Understanding
• List of definitions of key terms relevant for the WTO dispute resolution

Case law of particular interest:

• Appellate Body report: United States – Measures affecting the cross-border supply of gambling and betting services, 7 April 2005, WT/DS285/AB/R, part V of the case (paras. 158-213). The US GATS Schedule

Web-pages of interest:

• Introduction to the WTO dispute settlement system
• Analytical index: interpretative material of relevance to the WTO, please note that the index is not fully updated and cannot be relied on as an exhaustive list of available case-law
• GATT Analytical Index

Exercise:

• Questions and Assignments 3.5 in Bossche & Zdouc p. 194 (study group no. 1)

Class 3: Tariffs and trade in goods

Lecture

Reading:

• Mandatory: Bossche & Zdouc pages 418-478 or Trebilcock et al. pp. 258-287 (2017 edition of Bossche & Zdouc pp. 415-476).
• Supplementary: Lorand Bartels, The WTO Legality of the EU’s GSP+ Arrangement, 10 Journal of International Economic Law (2007) pp. 869-886
• Supplementary: Anwarul Hoda: Tariff Negotiations and Renegotiations under the GATT and the WTO, Procedures and Practices, in Guzman & Pauwelyn, International Trade Law (2012), pp. 171-173

Primary materials:

• GATT Articles I, II, XXIII, XXVIII and XXVIII bis
• The Agreement on Rules of Origin
• The Doha Ministerial Declaration

Case law of particular interest:

• Appellate Body report: EC – Conditions for the granting of tariff preferences to developing countries, WT/DS246/AB/R, part IV of the case (paras. 79-125)
• Appellate Body report: China – Measures Affecting Imports of Automobile Parts, WT/DS339/AB/R, paras. 148-166
• GATT Panel Report: Spain — Tariff treatment of unroasted coffee (BISD 28S/102)

Web-pages of interest:

• Tariffs: more bindings and closer to zero
• Harmonized system

Exercise:

• Exercise 6 in Bossche & Zdouc pp. 477-478 (study group no. 2)

Class 4: Non-discrimination

Lecture

Reading:

• Mandatory: Bossche & Zdouc pages 315-335 and 349-403 or Trebilcock et al. pages 54-82 and 136-171 (2017 edition of Bossche & Zdouc pp. 305-325 and 341-399).
• Supplementary: Ole Kristian Fauchald, “Flexibility and Predictability under WTO’s Non-Discrimination Clauses”, in 37 Journal of World Trade 3 (2003), pp. 443-482.

Primary materials:

• GATT Articles I, III and XXIV
• GATS Articles II and XVII
• TBT Agreement Article 2.1

Case law of particular interest:

• Appellate Body report: Japan – Alcoholic beverages II, WT/DS8/AB/R, sections F (page 15) – H (page 34)
• Appellate Body report: EC – Asbestos, WT/DS135/AB/R, section IV.A-C (paras. 84-103)
• Appellate Body report: EEC – Bananas III, WT/DS27/AB/R, pages 71-94
• Appellate Body report: United States – Measures concerning the Importation, Marketing and Sale of Tuna and Tuna Products, WT/DS381/AB/R, paras. 200-300

Exercise:

• Exercise 5 in Bossche & Zdouc pp. 416-417 (study group no. 3)

Class 5: WTO disciplines on subsidies and dumping

Lecture, topics to be handled:

• A brief historical overview of WTO rules on anti-dumping and subsidies
• The balance between free trade and unfair trade practices
• What constitutes dumping? Which subsidies are covered by the SCM Agreement?
• What are the ‘normal price’ and ‘export price’ under the ADA?
• How do we determine the ‘margin of dumping’ and ‘domestic injury’?
• What is a ‘benefit’ conferred under the SCMA? Which subsidies are prohibited?
• The conduct of anti-dumping investigations and the imposition of anti-dumping measures
• The imposition of countervailing measures
• Institutional and procedural provisions

Reading:

• Mandatory: Bossche & Zdouc pages 673-835 or Trebilcock et al. pages 333-399 (2017 edition of Bossche & Zdouc pp. 696-881).
• Supplementary: WTO E-learning: Detailed presentation of subsidies and countervailing measures in the WTO

Web-page of interest:

• General introduction to anti-dumping and subsidies

Primary materials:

• GATT Articles III, para. 8 (b), VI,  Ad Article VI, XVI, Ad Article XVI (Interpretive Note)
• Antidumping Code (Agreement on Implementation of Article VI of the GATT 1994) Articles 1-5, 7-11, 13-14, 17
• Subsidy Code (Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures) Articles 1-11, 13, 15-21, 23, 25, 30

Case law of particular interest:

• United States - Anti-Dumping Measures on Certain Hot-Rolled Steel Products from Japan, 27 July 2001, WT/DS184/AB/R, paras. 50-62 (standard of review) and 216-236 (causal link)
• United States - Laws, Regulations and Methodology for Calculating Dumping Margins (zeroing), 18 April 2006, WT/DS294/AB/R, paras. 123-135 (anti-dumping duties)
• China-GOES, 18 October 2012, WT/DS414/AB/R, paras. 133-154 (interpretation of Arts. 3.2 ADA and 15.2 SCMA)
• Canada - Measures Affecting the Export of Civilian Aircraft, 2 August 1999, WT/DS70/AB/R, paras. 149-161 (the concept of 'benefit' under the SCM Agreement)

Exercise:

• Exam spring 2011 (study group no. 4)
• Exercise 11 in Bossche & Zdouc pp. 742-743

Class 6: Non-tariff barriers to trade

Lecture

Reading:

• Mandatory: Bossche & Zdouc pages 479-497 and 850-893 or Trebilcock et al. pages 287-332 (2017 edition of Bossche & Zdouc pp. 478-498 and 883-934).

Primary materials:

• GATT Articles III, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XVII and XX
• The TBT Agreement

Case law of particular interest:

• EC – Trade Description of Sardines, WT/DS231/AB/R (2002) paras. 171-291
• United States – Measures concerning the Importation, Marketing and Sale of Tuna and Tuna Products, WT/DS381/AB/R (2012) paras. 178-243 and 301-342
• United States – Measures Affecting the Production and Sale of Clove Cigarettes, WT/DS406/AB/R (2012) paras. 84-200

Exercise:

• Exercise 13 in Bossche & Zdouc pp. 892-893 (study group no. 5)

Class 7: General exceptions in GATT

Lecture, topics to be handled:

• Trade liberalization/market access/non-discrimination vs. other societal values
• When can Art. XX GATT justify an otherwise GATT inconsistent measure?
• Scope of application of Art. XX GATT
• The two-tier test: specific exceptions and the chapeau  
• A look at several specific exceptions and their requirements

Reading:

• Mandatory: Bossche & Zdouc pages 543-582 or Trebilcock et al. pages 656-715 and 716-755 (2017 edition of Bossche & Zdouc pp. 444-605).
• Supplementary: A. Cosby & P.C. Mavroidis, ‘Heavy Fuel: Trade and Environment in the GATT/WTO Case Law’ (2014) 23(3) Review of European Community & International Environmental Law 288-301 (available via UiO Library)

Web-page of interest:

• WTO rules and environmental policies: GATT exceptions

Primary materials:

• GATT Preamble and Article XX

Case law of particular interest:

• United States – Import prohibition of Certain Shrimp and Shrimp Products (US – Shrimp), WT/DS58/AB/R (1998), paras. 111-188 (application of Art. XX)
• United States — Standards for Reformulated and Conventional Gasoline (US – Gasoline), WT/DS2/AB/R, pages 13-22 (application of Art. XX(g))
• Brazil - Measures Affecting Imports of Retreaded Tyres, WT/DS332/AB/R (2007) paras. 139-160 and 170-183 (two-tier test, Art. XX(b), necessity, alternatives, balancing)

Exercise:

• Exam spring 2010 (study group no. 6)

Class 8: Regionalism and developing country perspectives

Classes 9 and 10: Trade in services

Lecture 1 (to be published)

Lecture 2 (to be published)

Reading:

• Mandatory: Bossche & Zdouc pages 335-345, 403-414, 514-541, and 583-594 or Trebilcock et al. pages 472-513 (2017 edition of Bossche & Zdouc pp. 325-340, 399-414, 517-543 and 605-618).
• Supplementary: Markus Krajewski. “Public Services and Trade Liberalization. Mapping the Legal Framework”, 6 Journal of International Economic Law (2003) pp. 341-367.
• Supplementary: Rudolf Adlung, “Public Services and the GATS”, 9 Journal of International Economic Law (2006) pp. 455-485.
• Supplementary: Panagiotis Delimatsis, “Due Process and “Good” Regulation embedded in the GATS – Disciplining Regulatory Behaviour in Services Through Article VI of the GATS”, 10 Journal of International Economic Law (2007) pp. 13-50.

Primary materials:

• GATS Articles I, II, VI, XIV, XVI, XVII and XXVIII
• Norway's schedule
• UN Central Product Classification (CPC)

Case law of particular interest:

• Appellate Body report: United States – Measures affecting the cross-border supply of gambling and betting services, 7 April 2005, WT/DS285/AB/R, part VI, paras. 214-265

Exercise:

• Exercise 7 in Bossche & Zdouc pp. 541-542 (study group no. 8)
• Questions

Class 11: Mock exam discussion

Mock exam

You should try to solve the mock exam on your own, only using the treaty collection, and within the time limits indicated. The mock exam is to be handed in through fronter by November 9 at 16.00.

It would be good if you could subsequently get together with other students to discuss the mock exam.

For the class: please be prepared to present your approach and answers to the questions raised in the mock exam, and to raise issues that you would like us to discuss in plenary.

Comments to the mock exam will be uploaded to the fronter room.