International Trade Law and Policy

This course introduces the rules and institutions governing international trade. The course’s principal focus will be on the multilateral system governed by the World Trade Organization agreements, but we will also consider regional trade agreements such as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Topics covered will include: tariffs, quotas and other trade restrictions; national treatment and most-favored-nation clauses; health and safety measures; national security exceptions; dumping and antidumping duties; subsidies and countervailing measures; international trade in services; and international intellectual property rules. Policy perspectives will be drawn from economic theory and theories of international relations. The course will also consider the interaction between international law and U.S. statutory regimes governing international trade; the impact of trade and investment policy on the environment, labor, inequality, and other social concerns; and trade conflicts between the United States and other countries.