International Trade and Development

The multilateral trade regime is at the heart of this module. Participants will gain a deep knowledge of the main topics and challenges which are at stake at the international level. The module will also tackle the increasing tension between bilateralism and multilateralism in trade issues. This field of international governance concerns a number of international organisations based in Geneva. The World Trade Organisation (WTO) is, of course, the key actor in this field.

However, other aspects related to international trade are also dealt within this module in relation to the activities carried out by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), or the World Health Organisation (WHO). The interaction between these international organisations will be studied in order to determine which are the most important actors that states or non-state actors deal with when it comes to international trade. The European Union and its common commercial policy demonstrate engagement on the international scene in all aspects of trade policy, including investments and intellectual property rights related to trade. Other regional actors are also dealt with accordingly.