The rules and regulations governing international trade have grown at an exponential rate in the years since the Uruguay Round agreements established the WTO in 1995. These agreements continue to act as the multilateral foundation of the body of law, which is being expanded by its own committees and in new arrangements. As the international trade law system grows, it comes under increasing scrutiny from scholars, government officials, and trade law practitioners, it raises questions about the overlap with other international legal, political, and economic regimes.
This Handbook considers the system of international trade law and what it means for States, for economic systems, for other international regimes, for civil society, and for human welfare. The book opens by focusing on the regulation of international trade, considering the history, economics, and sources of international trade law, as well as the possibilities for the future. It considers the intersection of international trade law with States, the economic and institutional context of the world trading system, the framework of its substantive law, and the balance of trade objectives versus ethical responsibilities. The book concludes by offering analysis of new trade law developments in the agricultural, digital, and financial sectors, as well as outlining the settlement of trade law disputes both in the WTO and bilateral/regional trade agreements.
The second edition broadens the scope of analysis beyond the WTO, analysing regional trade agreements and preferential trade arrangements, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and Canada-EU Trade Agreement. The new edition also considers developments within the WTO such as in the area of agricultural export subsidies, and the Trade Facilitation Agreement.
Daniel Bethlehem, Barrister, Twenty Essex, Donald McRae, Emeritus Professor, University of Ottawa, Rodney Neufeld, Senior Counsel, Global Affairs Canada, Isabelle Van Damme, Partner, Van Bael & Bellis
Sir Daniel Bethlehem KC is a barrister practising in the field of public international law from Chambers in London. From May 2006 to May 2011, he was the principal Legal Adviser of the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Prior to this, in parallel with his Bar practice, he was the Director of the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law and a Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge. Before moving to Cambridge, Daniel lectured in international law at the London School of Economics. Amongst other specialist subjects, Daniel taught a long-standing graduate course on the WTO and international trade law.
Donald McRae has held faculty positions at University of Otago, University of Western Ontario, University of British Columbia and University of Ottawa, teaching Law of Contracts, International Law, International Organizations, Law of the Sea, International Trade Law. He was appointed a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2002, a Companion of the Order of Canada in 2014, ana an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2017. Donald is also an ad hoc judge in the ICJ, counsel in various law of the sea, trade and investment arbitrations.
Rodney Neufeld is counsel in the Trade Law Bureau of the Government of Canada, where he defends Canada in trade and investment disputes and represents Canada at the WTO and in trade and investment negotiations, including TPP, NAFTA and Investor-State Dispute Settlement Reform in UNCITRAL. He has taught international law, international economic law, and international institutions at the Universities of Ottawa and Carleton.
Isabelle Van Damme is a Partner at Van Bael & Bellis, with a practice covering WTO law, EU law and public international law. Isabelle also serves as the Executive Vice-President of the Society of International Economic Law and teaches EU trade law and policy at the College of Europe in Bruges. She previously worked as a référendaire in the chambers of Advocate General Sharpston at the Court of Justice of the European Union and taught at the University of Cambridge. Isabelle regularly advises governments and industry and represents States and individuals before international and regional courts and tribunals, including WTO panels, the Appellate Body and the Court of Justice of the European Union. Notable assignments relate to the essential security exception, climate change mitigation, EU and UN sanctions, Brexit, State aid, the territorial scope of application of treaties and investment. Isabelle also assist clients with all aspects of FTA negotiations, implementation and dispute settlement.
