EU trade law and policy

leusl2306  2019-2020  Louvain-la-Neuve

EU trade law and policy
Note from June 29, 2020
Although we do not yet know how long the social distancing related to the Covid-19 pandemic will last, and regardless of the changes that had to be made in the evaluation of the June 2020 session in relation to what is provided for in this learning unit description, new learnig unit evaluation methods may still be adopted by the teachers; details of these methods have been - or will be - communicated to the students by the teachers, as soon as possible.
5 credits
30.0 h
Q2
Teacher(s)
Balan George Dian; Zarnauskaite Ruta;
Language
English
Prerequisites

The prerequisite(s) for this Teaching Unit (Unité d’enseignement – UE) for the programmes/courses that offer this Teaching Unit are specified at the end of this sheet.
Main themes
Through this course students acquire a working knowledge of the mechanics of international trade, with an emphasis on the EU's functioning as a trade actor. The course consists in two parts.
The first part is mostly legal, familiarizing the students with the basic principles of WTO Law and the overall architecture of international trade, including Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs). In this context, the functioning of the EU Common Commercial Policy will be explained. Practical exercises will help the students develop an analytical approach to the current trade issues.
The second part provides a negotiator's perspective on international trade negotiations, be it in the WTO or in the framework of the growing number of bilateral negotiations concluded or conducted by the European Commission on behalf of the EU. Class exercises with the students will help them understand the dynamics of trade negotiations and the challenges of trade diplomacy within the EU.
Aims

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

1 This is an interdisciplinary course within an interdisciplinary Master program, the participants having the opportunity to understand the different sides of the challenges the EU is facing in international trade.
The objective of the course is to build the basis for future experts in the field, equipping the students with the kind of knowledge and the skills they can immediately put into practice. At the end of our meetings the participants will have a good understanding of the functioning of the systems, knowing where to look for the information and how to assess it.
 

The contribution of this Teaching Unit to the development and command of the skills and learning outcomes of the programme(s) can be accessed at the end of this sheet, in the section entitled “Programmes/courses offering this Teaching Unit”.
Content
As both lecturers are practitioners in their respective fields, the course will privilege a practical approach to trade issues. The students are expected to read the assigned materials in advance and to actively participate in the classes, answering questions, asking relevant questions, preparing assignments and assuming the respective roles in practical exercises.
A detailed content, together with the respective bibliography, are provided separately.
Evaluation methods
A final written exam and students' participation in the classes. A register of attendance at all meetings of the class will be taken.
Other information
Prerequisite: an introductory course in economics. Support: assigned reading materials and professor's slides.
Bibliography
Peter Van den Bossche, Werner Zdouc, The Law and Policy of the World Trade Organization, Text, Cases and Materials, 4th edition, CUP, 2018.
Pascal Lamy, The Geneva Consensus, CUP, 2013.
Faculty or entity
EURO


Programmes / formations proposant cette unité d'enseignement (UE)

Title of the programme
Sigle
Credits
Prerequisites
Aims
Specialised master in European Business and Economic Policy

Master [120] in European Studies