session 7. the law and policy of the world trade organization. an introduction.

Sessions 7 and 8 focus on the law and policy of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The purpose of the first session of this pair will be to introduce you to the institution of the WTO and its unique characteristics that set it apart from other international organizations. We will also talk about the basic rationales for free trade, about the sweeping process of economic globalization and the need for state co-operation and global rule-setting. While the topic is complex and it does come along with its own and often specific vocabulary, it is critical to understand that a great deal of our domestic policy- and rule-making (also in the field of media) is dependent upon these developments at the global level.

Reading materials 
Van den Bossche, The Law and Policy of the WTO, Chapter 1 (the analysis of economic globalization and its pros and cons will be useful also for session no 8, as well as partially for the interactive session on cultural diversity protection)

Here are all WTO legal texts.
We will pay particular attention to the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the WTO (the WTO Agreement), the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS).

Optional 
Here are some additional basic reference texts about the WTO:
Understanding the WTO
10 Things the WTO Can Do


Here are some cases exemplifying the theory of comparative advantage (source: Wikipedia).