International Trade Law: SEMESTER IX - B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) Syllabus (Session: July-December 2022)

INTERNATIONAL TRADE LAW
SEMESTER IX | B.A. LL.B. (Hons.)

Syllabus (Session: July-December 2022)
Faculty Name Dr. Ankit Awasthi Year/Semester 5th Year / IXth Semester
Course Name International Trade Law No. of Credits 4
Course Code NA Session Duration 60 Minutes

No. of Contact 50 Lectures + 10 Tutorials = 60
Pre-requisite None
Hours hours
The syllabus of International Trade Law is designed to give an overview of the
subject and can serve as a starting point for fundamental research in this field.
Though, in general international trade law includes rules and customs governing
trade between and among countries/custom territories. However, after the
inception of WTO and with the consensus-development for multilateral trading
system, international trade law became more WTO-centric. Keeping the same in
mind, from historical background till intersectional areas of trade with environment
and other domains have been attempted to cover within the syllabus.
Introduction,
Course Objective Objectives of the course on International Trade Law are as follows:
& Pedagogy
CO1. To develop understanding about theories and importance of international
trade in contemporary scenario along with government’s role therein.
CO2. To analyze the role and importance of the World Trade Organisation in the
Multilateral Trading System.
CO3. To trace the history of Multilateral Trading System along with
organizational structure of the WTO.
CO4. To discuss about the principles of the Multilateral Trading System with
special reference to the rule of non-discrimination.
Page 1 of 13
CO5. To develop understanding about tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade with
relevant agreements.
CO6. To discuss cross cutting issues of environment and other domains with
international trade.
Lecture-based teaching pedagogy will be followed and trade disputes will also be
discussed as per the requirement of the syllabus. Reference material will be shared
in the form of Audio-video/URL/PDF to discuss in the class as per the requirement
of the syllabus.
There will be a combination of discussions and brainstorming sessions during the

contact hours. During classes, students will be encouraged to present on topics that
have been assigned or on an area of research or a moot proposition related to the
subject, if they have earlier explored it.
Learning Outcomes:
Through this subject, students will be oriented in the domain of International Trade Law and develop
understanding about the theories and practicalities of trade law from the lens of multilateralism.
Following course completion, it is expected that students will be able to:
LO1. Understand the concepts underlying theories of International Trade.

LO2. Learn about the evolution of the rule-based system and multilateralism ideals in the context of global
Trade.
LO3. Explore the multilateral trading agreements annexed to the Marrakesh agreement.
LO4. Examine the limitations and exceptions that apply to international trade.
LO5. Know about the intersectional aspects of international trade and allied fields.
Evaluation Components:
Evaluation Components Distribution of Marks

Continuous Internal Assessment 25
Mid-Term Examination 25
End Term Examination 50
Total 100
*Note: Pass marks 50% of the final grade.
Page 2 of 13
Course Plan:
S. No. Topics Lecture Lessons

1. Conceptual & Theoretical Foundation of International Trade 1-8
2. The Evolution of the World Trade Order, Structure and Role 9-20
of the World Trade Organization in International Trade
along with Dispute Settlement Mechanism
3. Principles of Multilateral Trading System and Overview of 21-32
Agreements annexed to the Marrakesh Agreement
4. Tariff and Non-Tariff Barriers to Trade 33-41
5. Protection of Domestic Industries & WTO 42-50
6. Cross-cutting Issues in International Trade 51-60
Detailed Syllabus:
Unit Content
Module 1: Conceptual & Theoretical 1. Origin of trade and Commerce & Defining International Trade
Foundation of International Trade Law
2. Sources of International Trade Law
• Agreements between States
• General practices between States
• Generally recognized principles of law
• Decided trade disputes/cases and academic writings
• Agreement between traders
• Domestic law
3. Theories that would mainly be discussed:
• Pure or Real Theory of International Trade Equilibrium
• Monetary theory of balance of payment adjustment

• Mercantilism - Commercial Capitalism & its Criticism
• Theory of Absolute Advantage of Adam Smith
• Theory of Comparative Advantage of David Ricardo &

Modern development in the theory
Page 3 of 13
• H-O Model & Gravity Model
• Free trade theory
• Distributive Justice in International Trade
4. Importance of Trade and Gains from Trade
• Economic globalization and international trade
• Fair trade versus free trade
5. Why do governments intervene in the market?
• Instruments of trade Policy (Protectionism)
Module 2: The Evolution of the 1. Historical background of WTO: Brief introduction of
World Trade Order, Structure and international Trade in world history and starting of modern
Role of the World Trade trading system
Organization in International Trade • GATT 1947 to WTO: An overview
along with Dispute Settlement • Eight Rounds of negotiations with special reference to the
Mechanism Subjects and Modalities of Uruguay Round of negotiation
• Difference between GATT 1947 and GATT 1994
• Institutional Structure of the WTO
• Membership to the WTO and the process of Accession
• Decision-making in the WTO
• Role of the WTO in International Trade
• Relationship of WTO with the other two Bretton Woods
institutions i.e., IMF and World Bank along with World Bank
Group [IBRD, IDA, IFC, MIGA & ICSID]
• Coherence Declaration – Para 5
2. Dispute Settlement Mechanism within the WTO
• Background of Dispute settlement under GATT 1947
• Settlement of disputes between States under WTO
• Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the
Settlement of Disputes (DSU)
• Principles & Practice of WTO dispute settlement
• Methods of dispute settlement for private traders,
including negotiation, mediation, arbitration and litigation
Page 4 of 13
Module 3: Principles of Multilateral 1. An overview on the General principles of the Multilateral
Trading System and Overview of Trading System
Agreements annexed to the • Principle of Non-Discrimination
Marrakesh Agreement • Principle of Transparency
• Principle of Freer Trade through gradual negotiations
• Principle of Predictability
• Principle of Reciprocity
• Principle of Promoting Fair Competition
• Principle of Creating Safety Values
• Principle of Special and Differential Treatment
2. Sources of WTO law
3. Goods (Annex 1A), Services (Annex 1B), IPRs (Annex 1C), Market
Access Commitments, DSU (Annex 2), TPRM (Annex 3),
Plurilateral trade agreements (Annex 4)
4. National Treatment:
• Concept of “Like products”
• Difference in treatment of “like products” and “directly
competitive and substitutable products”.
• Exceptions to the Rule
5. Most Favored Nation Treatment:
• Advantages of the MFN Rule
• Exceptions to the Rule
• Trading Blocs: European Union & ASEAN
• RTAs and FTAs as a threat to Multilateralism?
Module 4: Tariff and Non-Tariff 1. Rules on Market Access: An Introduction

Barriers to Trade 2. An overview on the Tariff Barriers to Trade in goods
• Tariff v. Quantitative Restrictions
• Tariff bindings under Article II of GATT 1994
• Tariff as a preferred tool for regulation of trade in goods
over quantitative restrictions
• General Elimination of quantitative restrictions under
Article XI of GATT 1994
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• Exceptions to the Rule in Article XI
• Other exception of the Rule
3. An overview on the Non-Tariff Barriers to Trade
4. Introduction: The Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade
(TBT)
• Difference between WTO-TBT Agreement and Tokyo- TBT
Agreement
• Structure and Scope of the Agreement on Technical
Barriers to Trade
• Principles incorporated under the Agreement on Technical
Barriers to Trade
5. Introduction: The Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary
(SPS) Measures
• Structure and Scope of the Agreement on Sanitary and
Phytosanitary Measures
• Principles incorporated under the Agreement on Sanitary
and Phytosanitary Measures
6. Introduction: The Agreement on Rules of Origin
• Meaning and Scope of Rules of Origin
• Substantial Transformation Test
7. Introduction: The Agreement on Pre-Shipment Inspection
• Main functions of PSI Companies
• Obligations of User and Exporting Members
• Independent Review Procedure under the Agreement
Module 5: Protection of Domestic 1. Rules on Unfair Trade: An Introduction

Industries & WTO 2. Antidumping Measures under Article VI of GATT 1994 and the
Antidumping Agreement
• Administration & Regulation of anti-dumping duties
3. Subsidies and Countervailing Duties under Article VI and XVI of
GATT 1994 and Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing
Measures
• Administration & Regulation of Subsidies & CVDs
Page 6 of 13
4. Safeguard Measures under Article XIX of GATT 1994 and the
Safeguards Agreement
• Rationales for safeguard measures with WTO
• Alternatives to safeguards
Module 6: Cross-cutting Issues in 1. Trade and Environment

International Trade • Sustainable Development
• Environmental Measures and MTAs
• WTO provisions with respect to Environment
• CTE / Eco labels / Technical Assistance
2. Trade and Human Rights
• WTO framework with respect to Human Rights Measures
• Public Moral / Protection of human, animal or plant life or
health, Measures relating to prison labours / conservation
of exhaustible resources
3. Trade, Investment and Competition Policy
4. Trade and Agriculture: Agreement on Agriculture
• Rationales for Agricultural Exceptionalism
• Food Security and Trade Liberalization
• Agricultural Protectionism vis-à-vis Multilateralism
5. Women and Trade
• Buenos Aires Declaration on Trade and Women's
Economic Empowerment
• Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender
6. SDGs and the WTO: Socio-economic and ancillary dimension of
trade in the SDGs
7. Twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference Geneva 2022 Outcomes
• Ministerial Decision on World Food Programme (WFP)
• Ministerial Declaration on the WTO Response to the COVID-
19 Pandemic and Preparedness for Future Pandemics
• An Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies
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Reference books:
1. A. L. Koul, Guide to WTO and GATT. Economics, Law and Politics (Satyam Law International & Springer,
2018)
2. Amin M Alavi, Legalization of Development in the WTO (Wolters Kluwer, 2009)
3. Amrita Narlikar et al: The Oxford Handbook on the World Trade Organization (Oxford University Press,
2012)
4. Andrew D. Mitchell, Legal Principles in WTO Disputes (Cambridge University Press, 2008)
5. Anil Kumar et al.: WTO and India (Deep & Deep Publications Pvt. Ltd., 2007)
6. Anne Krueger: International Trade: What Everyone Needs to Know (Oxford University Press, 2020)
7. Bernard M Hoekman: The Political Economy of the World Trading System – The WTO and Beyond (Oxford
University Press, 2009)
8. Bhala, Raj: Modern GATT Law: A Treatise on the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (Thompson,
Sweet and Maxwell, Second Edition, 2014)
9. Cynthia Clark Northrup et al: The Encyclopedia of World Trade (Routledge 2005)
10. Gregory Messenger: The development of World Trade Organization (Oxford University Press, 2016)
11. Jagdish N. Bhagwati et al: The World Trade System Trends and Challenges (Massachusetts Institute of
Technology Press 2016)
12. Jagdish N. Bhagwati, Lectures on International Trade (Oxford University Press, First Edition, 1960)
13. Kenneth Pomeranz and Steven Topik: The World That Trade Created Society, Culture, and the World
Economy, 1400 to the Present (Routledge 2018)
14. Lisa L. Martin et al: The Oxford Handbook of the Political Economy of International Trade (Oxford
University Press, 2015)
15. Lorand Bartels and Ferderico Orthino, Regional Trade Agreements and the WTO legal system (Oxford
Scholarship Online, 2012)
16. Matsushita, Mitsuo et al: The World Trade Organization: Law Practice and Policy (Oxford University
Press, Third Edition, 2015)
17. Michelle Sanson et al.: Essential International Trade Law, Cavendish Publishing Limited, 2002).
18. Oisin Suttle: Distributive Justice and World Trade Law: A Political Theory of International Trade
Regulation (Cambridge University Press, 2018)
19. Rüdiger Wolfrum et al: Max Planck Commentaries On World Trade Law (Martinus Nijhoff Publishers,
2003)
20. Schnitzer, Simone: Understanding International Trade Law (Law Matters Publishing, 2006).
Page 8 of 13
21. Sharif Bhuiyan, National Law in WTO Law Effectiveness and Good Governance in the World Trading
System (Cambridge University Press, 2007)
22. Simon Lester et al.: World Trade Law (HART Publishing, 2012)
23. Simon Lester, Bryan Mercurio and Arwel Davies: World Trade Law Text, Materials and Commentary (Hart
Publishing 2012)
24. The WTO Secretariat: From GATT to the WTO: The Multilateral Trading System in the New Millennium
(Kluwer Law International & WTO, 2000)
25. Van den Bossche et al.: The Law and Policy of the World Trade Organization (Cambridge University Press,
2014)
26. Understanding the WTO (Written and published by the World Trade Organization Information and
External Relations Division © WTO 2015) available at:
https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/tif_e/understanding_e.pdf
27. The Future of Trade: The Challenges of Convergence (Report of the Panel on Defining the Future of Trade
convened by WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy) (WTO Publications, 2013) available at:
https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/dg_e/dft_panel_e/future_of_trade_report_e.pdf
28. WTO Dispute Settlement: One-Page Case Summaries (2021 Edition) available at:
https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/booksp_e/dispu_settl_1995_2020_e.pdf
WTO Documents:
1. The creation of the multilateral trading system. Available at:

https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/booksp_e/historywto_02_e.pdf
2. Sixty Years of the Multilateral Trading System: Achievements and Challenges. Available at:
https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/booksp_e/anrep_e/wtr07-2d_e.pdf
3. The Role of Trade in Ending Poverty. World Trade Organization: Geneva, published by World Bank Group
and World Trade Organization, 2015. Available at:
https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/22081/The0role0of0trade0in0ending
0poverty.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
4. India and the WTO, Aaditya Mattoo and Robert M. Stern, Editors A co-publication of the World Bank and
Oxford University Press, 2003. Available at:
https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/15082/9780821354100.pdf?sequenc
e=4&isAllowed=y
Page 9 of 13
Online databases:
Journal of World Trade with Archive
1. Gabrielle Marceau, 'Transition from GATT to WTO—A Most Pragmatic Operation', (1995), 29, Journal of
World Trade, Issue 4, pp. 147-163, available at:
https://kluwerlawonline.com/JournalArticle/Journal+of+World+Trade/29.4/TRAD1995027
2. Chad P. Bown, 'Developing Countries and Enforcement of Trade Agreements: Why Dispute Settlement
is Not Enough', (2008), 42, Journal of World Trade, Issue 1, pp. 177-203, available at:
3. M. P. Ram Mohan, Vishakha Raj, 'Appellate Body Crisis at the World Trade Organization: View from
India', (2021), 55, Journal of World Trade, Issue 5, pp. 829-852, available at:
4. Valentin Zahrnt, 'How Regionalization can be a Pillar of a More Effective World Trade Organization',
(2005), 39, Journal of World Trade, Issue 4, pp. 671-699, available at:
5. Dukgeun Ahn, 'Linkages between International Financial and Trade Institutions; MF, World Bank and
WTO', (2000), 34, Journal of World Trade, Issue 4, pp. 1-36, available at:
https://kluwerlawonline.com/JournalArticle/Journal+of+World+Trade/34.4/273702
6. Manisha Sinha, 'An Evaluation of the WTO Committee on Trade and Environment', (2013), 47, Journal of
World Trade, Issue 6, pp. 1285-1322, available at:
7. Risa Schwartz, Sabrina Shaw, 'Trade and Environment in the WTO <i>State of Play</i>', (2002), 36,
Journal of World Trade, Issue 1, pp. 129-154, available at:
8. Susan Ariel Aaronson, 'A Match Made in the Corporate and Public Interest: Marrying Voluntary CSR
Initiatives and the WTO', (2007), 41, Journal of World Trade, Issue 3, pp. 629-659, available at:
9. Matthew Kennedy, 'The Integration of Accession Protocols into the WTO Agreement', (2013), 47, Journal
of World Trade, Issue 1, pp. 45-75, available at:
10. Asif H. Qureshi, 'International Trade for Development:The WTO as a Development Institution?', (2009),
43, Journal of World Trade, Issue 1, pp. 173-188, available at:
Page 10 of 13
11. Boyan Konstantinov, 'Human Rights and the WTO: Are They Really Oil and Water?', (2009), 43, Journal
12. Ernst-Ulrich Petersmann, 'Human Rights and the Law of the World Trade Organization', (2003), 37,
13. Håkan Nordström, 'The World Trade Organization Secretariat in a Changing World', (2005), 39, Journal
14. Eva van der Zee, 'Disciplining Private Standards Under the SPS and TBT Agreement: A Plea for Market-
State Procedural Guidelines', (2018), 52, Journal of World Trade, Issue 3, pp. 393-414, available at:
15. Doaa Abdel Motaal, 'Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) and WTO Rules Why the “Burden
of Accommodation” Should Shift to MEAs', (2001), 35, Journal of World Trade, Issue 6, pp. 1215-1233,
available at:
16. Christophe Bellmann, Richard Gerster, 'Accountability in the World Trade Organization', (1996), 30,
17. Raymond Saner, 'Technical Assistance to Least-Developed Countries in the Context of the Doha
Development Round: High Risk of Failure', (2006), 40, Journal of World Trade, Issue 3, pp. 467-494,
available at:
18. Wolfgang Weiß, 'Adjudicating Security Exceptions in WTO Law: Methodical and Procedural
Preliminaries', (2020), 54, Journal of World Trade, Issue 6, pp. 829-852, available at:
19. Louise Johannesson, Petros C. Mavroidis, 'The WTO Dispute Settlement System 1995-2016: A Data Set
and Its Descriptive Statistics, (2017), 51, Journal of World Trade, Issue 3, pp. 357-408, available at:
20. Wenwei Guan, 'How General Should the GATT General Exceptions Be?: A Critique of the ‘Common
Intention’ Approach of Treaty Interpretation', (2014), 48, Journal of World Trade, Issue 2, pp. 219-258,
available at:
Page 11 of 13
21. Marc L. Busch, Eric Reinhardt, 'Developing Countries and General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade/World
Trade Organization Dispute Settlement', (2003), 37, Journal of World Trade, Issue 4, pp. 719-735,
available at:
22. Norio Komuro, 'The WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism—Coverage and Procedures of the WTO
Understanding', (1995), 29, Journal of World Trade, Issue 4, pp. 5-96, available at:
23. Gabrielle Marceau, 'Review Essays of Dispute Settlement Mechanisms – Regional or Multilateral: Which
One is Better?', (1997), 31, Journal of World Trade, Issue 3, pp. 169-179, available at:
2. JSTOR
1. Kalim Siddiqui. “International Trade, WTO and Economic Development.” World Review of Political
Economy, vol. 7, no. 4, Pluto Journals, 2016, pp. 424–50, available at:
https://doi.org/10.13169/worlrevipoliecon.7.4.0424.
2. Bacchus, James. An Unnecessary Proposal: A WTO Waiver of Intellectual Property Rights for COVID-19
Vaccines. Cato Institute, 2020, available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep27669.
3. Tong, Jiadong. “WTO Commitment: Further Marketisation and Trade Liberalisation.” China: New Engine
of World Growth, edited by Ross Garnaut and Ligang Song, ANU Press, 2012, pp. 141–50, available at:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt24h9qh.17.
4. Iida, Keisuke. “Is WTO Dispute Settlement Effective?” Global Governance, vol. 10, no. 2, Lynne Rienner
Publishers, 2004, pp. 207–25, available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27800522.
5. Raby, Geoff. “Entry into the WTO: Commitments and Implementation.” China: New Engine of World
Growth, edited by Ross Garnaut and Ligang Song, ANU Press, 2012, pp. 131–40, available at:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt24h9qh.16.
6. Bougette, Patrice, and Christophe Charlier. Renewable Energy, Subsidies, and the WTO: Where Has the
‘Green’ Gone? Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM), 2014, available at:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep01098.
7. DAHIYA, PRIYA. “The World Trade Organisation’s Agreement on Agriculture: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES
FOR INDIA.” World Affairs: The Journal of International Issues, vol. 23, no. 3, Kapur Surya Foundation,
2019, pp. 44–57, available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/48531049.
8. Capling, Ann, and Richard Higgott. “Introduction: The Future of the Multilateral Trade System—What
Role for the World Trade Organization?” Global Governance, vol. 15, no. 3, Lynne Rienner Publishers,
2009, pp. 313–25, available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27800760
Page 12 of 13
3. WTO E-Learning, available at: https://wtolearning.csod.com/
4. WTO Students and young professionals, available at:
https://www.wto.org/english/forums_e/students_e/students_e.htm
5. e-PG Pathshala: Course on WTO, available at:
https://epgp.inflibnet.ac.in/Home/ViewSubject?catid=ZzUApmBk4i7kYctp+aiP1w==
***************
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International Trade Law: SEMESTER IX - B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) Syllabus (Session: July-December 2022)

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INTERNATIONAL TRADE LAW

SEMESTER IX | B.A. LL.B. (Hons.)

Course Name International Trade Law No. of Credits 4

Course Code NA Session Duration 60 Minutes

There will be a combination of discussions and brainstorming sessions during the

Following course completion, it is expected that students will be able to:

LO1. Understand the concepts underlying theories of International Trade.

Evaluation Components Distribution of Marks

S. No. Topics Lecture Lessons

• Monetary theory of balance of payment adjustment

• Theory of Comparative Advantage of David Ricardo &

Module 4: Tariff and Non-Tariff 1. Rules on Market Access: An Introduction

Module 5: Protection of Domestic 1. Rules on Unfair Trade: An Introduction

Module 6: Cross-cutting Issues in 1. Trade and Environment

1. The creation of the multilateral trading system. Available at:

Journal of World Trade with Archive

4. WTO Students and young professionals, available at:

5. e-PG Pathshala: Course on WTO, available at:

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