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LAW40140

Academic Year 2025/2026

International Economic Law (LAW40140)

Subject:
Law
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Law
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Professor Joseph McMahon
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module will provide students with an introduction to the nature and scope of International Economic Law at a time when that law is under threat.
In particular, the module will examine the nature of the law established through the creation of World Trade Organization, with particular emphasis on the process of dispute settlement in international trade. The seminars will examine the main principles of International Economic Law - the most-favoured-national treatment and the national treatment principles - as demonstrated in Articles I, II, III, XI, XX and XXI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade - and the equivalent provisions of the General Agreement on Trade in Services.
Thereafter, the seminars turn to a discussion of how to address threats to the international economic order through an examinations of the Agreement on Dumping, the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures and the Agreement on Safeguards before discussion turns to the future of the WTO.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of the module, students should have an enhanced appreciation and understanding of the process of dispute settlement in international trade, specific agreements and the treatment of specific issues within the World Trade Organization.
On completion of this module, students should also have enhanced the generally transferable skills and specific skills developed throughout their degree programmes, including the ability to conduct legal research (especially using international legal materials) and the ability to present a coherent legal argument. Students will be expected to demonstrate these learning outcomes through the presentation of a seminar which will be subsequently written up and the completion of a piece of research.

Indicative Module Content:

After the introductory lecture on the history of the World Trade Organization and lectures on the WTO Dispute Settlement Understanding, the first part of the module will involve seminars on the principles of most-favoured-nation treatment and national treatment through and examination of the following GATT Articles - Articles I, II, III, XI, XX and XXI. References will also be made to equivalent principles in the General Agreement on Trade in Services.

The remainder of the remainder of the module is given over to seminars on three agreements - the Agreement on Dumping, the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures and the Agreement on Safeguards.

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Autonomous Student Learning

240
Lectures

6
Seminar (or Webinar)

18
Total

264

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
After an initial set of lectures, the module will have a series of student-led seminars in which two (or more) students will be expected to present. This will occur for both the general principles of the GATT (and GATS) and the three agreements to be examined.

Students presenting will be provided with specific reading for the particular topic and will be expected to conduct sufficient research to allow them to present the seminar. Students not presenting will be expected to actively participate.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Individual Project: A response toa question addressing the future of the world trading system encompassing those elements of that system addressed throughout the module. Week 15 Graded No
50
 No
Group Work Assignment: An assignment based on the seminar presentation - i.e. on one of the main provisions of the GATT and GATS or one of the specific agreements examined in the module. Week 12 Graded No
50
 No

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

There will be a meeting with the students prior to their seminar indicating the broad questions to be covered and a post-seminar feedback session indicating the issues to be addressed in the written-up seminar paper. Students have the opportunity to discuss the assignments using staff-consultation hours and/or through e-mail.

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