MVZn5066 International Trade Regime

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2022
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. et Mgr. Oldřich Krpec, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Ing. Mgr. Petr Svatoň (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. et Mgr. Oldřich Krpec, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Supplier department: Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Fri 18. 2. 10:00–11:40 U32, Fri 25. 2. 10:00–11:40 U32, Fri 4. 3. 10:00–11:40 U32, Fri 11. 3. 10:00–11:40 U32, Fri 18. 3. 10:00–11:40 U32, Fri 25. 3. 10:00–11:40 U32, Fri 1. 4. 10:00–11:40 U42, Fri 8. 4. 10:00–11:40 U32, Fri 22. 4. 10:00–11:40 U32, Fri 29. 4. 10:00–11:40 U32, Fri 6. 5. 10:00–11:40 U32, Fri 13. 5. 10:00–11:40 U32
Prerequisites (in Czech)
! MVZ452 Multilateral system Int. Trade && ! HMV422 International Trade Regime
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 42 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 3/42, only registered: 0/42
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 8 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The course aims to acquaint students with the functioning of rules governing international trade which exist within the World Trade Organization (WTO). The core of the course consists in explaining the network of agreements which are administered by the WTO, their main principles, most important provisions, internal logic and mutual links, as well as the dispute settlement mechanism that enables their enforcement. The course begin with a theoretical and historical introduction, which explains the main arguments in favor of and against free trade, as well as the changes in the trade policy of the most important states of their era, Great Britain and the United States, culminating first in the creation of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and finally in the founding of the WTO in 1995. Subsequently, the course lays out in detail the contemporary international regime for trade in goods, trade in services, trade in agricultural products, the rules for the protection of intellectual property, foreign investment, the exceptions granted to deloping countries, and other topics covered by WTO law.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, students should possess an understanding of the logic and real-world impact of the most important rules of WTO law and be able to apply them to a specific case. Furthermore, they should have a grasp of the positions of the most important actors in the international trade area (US, EU, China) towards contentious issues.
Syllabus
  • 1) The genesis of free trade ideas
  • 2) The origin and development of modern protectionism
  • 3) The formation of GATT and subsequent rounds of negotiations on trade liberalization
  • 4) The creation of the WTO, its internal institutional framework, system of agreements and dispute settlement mechanism
  • 5) Trade in agricultural products and textiles
  • 6) Non-tariff barriers to trade and exceptions from the GATT regime
  • 7) International trade in services and intellectual property
  • 8) The TRIMs agreement and international investment law
  • 9) Regional preference agreements and the EU common market
  • 10) The special status of developing countries in the WTO system
  • 11) The rising importance of China and its trade war with the United States as a challenge to the WTO
  • 12) Reading week
  • 13) Seminar - WTO reform
Literature
    required literature
  • HOEKMAN, Bernard M. and Michel M. KOSTECKI. The political economy of the world trading system : the WTO and beyond. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001, xxi, 547. ISBN 0198294344. info
  • IRWIN, Douglas A. Against the tide : an intellectual history of free trade. 1. ed. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1998, viii, 265. ISBN 0691058962. info
Teaching methods
The course consists mainly of lectures, which take place every week Students are introduced to basic theoretical concepts that are reinforces by examples, whose aim is to motivate students to think about the practical relevance of the discussed concepts. The course includes two written assignments, in which the students are supposed to demonstrate their knowledge of the so-far explained subjects. The final class is organized as a seminar, for which the students will divide into groups. Each group will prepare an essay which is going to describe some challenge or problem in the current functioning of the WTO and propose a solution. During the seminar, they will defend their solution in debate with other groups.
Assessment methods
In order to successfully complete the course, the students need to gather a sufficient number of points awarder for the two written assignments (max 5 points for each), for the essay and active participation in the seminar (max 10 points) and for the final written exam (max 15 points.) The minimal number of points necessary to pass the course is 20, out of 35 available points.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Nezapisují studenti, kteří již totožný předmět absolvovali pod kódem MVZ452.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2021, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2022, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2022/MVZn5066