Global business interacts efficiently despite the heterogeneity of social, economic, and legal cultures which, according to widespread assumptions, cause insecurities and uncertainties. Breaches of contracts may occur more frequently and business relationships may be terminated more often in international than in domestic trade. But most business people engaged in exporting or importing products or services seem to operate in a sufficiently predictable environment allowing successful ventures into the global market. The apparent paradox presented by cultural/institutional diversity and contractual efficiency in cross-border business transactions is the focus of this volume of essays. The wide range of approaches adopted by contributors to this volume include: the Weberian concept of law as a tool for avoiding the risk of opportunism * economic sociology, which treats networks and relationships between contractual parties as paramount * representatives of new institutional economics who discuss law as well as private governance institutions as most efficient responses to risk * comparative economic sociologists who point to the varieties of legal cultures in the social organization of trust * national and international institutions such as the World Bank which try to promote legal certainty in the economy. Inspired and edited by scholars of the famous 'Bremen School, ' these essays will be of great interest to scholars and students of globalization. The book builds on this interdisciplinary exercise by adding empirical evidence to ongoing debates regarding enabling structures for international business. It critically reviews and discusses some propositions which contain interesting hypotheses on the effects of the internationalization of markets on market co-ordination institutions, and on the role of the state in the globalizing economy. (Series: Onati International Series in Law and Society

The dark side of preferential trade agreements, Rules of Origin (RoO) are used to determine the eligibility of goods to preferential treatment. Ostensibly meant to prevent the trans-shipment of imported products across Free Trade Agreement borders after superficial screwdriver assembly, they act in reality as complex and opaque trade barriers. This book provides evidence strongly suggesting that they do so by intent rather than accidentally--in other words, that RoOs are policy. Part one draws insights about the effects of RoOs on cross-border trade and outsourcing from recent economic theory. Part two reviews the evidence on RoOs in preferential agreements around the world, putting together the most comprehensive dataset on RoOs to date. Part three explores their "political economy"--how special interests have shaped them and continue to do so. Part four provides econometric evidence on their costs for exporters and consequent effects on trade flows. Finally, part five explores how they affect trade in the developing world where they spread rapidly and have the potential to do most harm. Beyond the collection of new evidence and its interpretation in light of recent theory, the book's overall message for the policy community is that RoOs are a potentially powerful and new barrier to trade. Rather than being relegated to closed-door technical meetings, their design should hold center-stage in trade negotiations.

International insolvency is a newly-established branch of the study of insolvency that owes much to the phenomenon of cross-border incorporations and the conduct of business in more than one jurisdiction. It is largely the offspring of globalisation and involves looking at both law and economic rules. This book is a compendium of essays by eminent academics and practitioners in the field, who trace the development of the subject, give an account of the influences of economics, legal history and private international law and chart its relationship with finance and security issues as well as the importance of business rescue as a phenomenon. Furthermore, the essays examine how international instruments introduced in recent years function as well as how the subject itself is continually being innovated by being confronted by the challenges of other areas of law with which it becomes entangled.

The issue of international antitrust enforcement is high on the agenda for both developed and developing countries. Bilateral cooperation between antitrust agencies, in particular the European Commission and US agencies, is the focus of this new work. It first shows how bilateral cooperation was developed as a response to the limits of the unilateral and extraterritorial application of national competition laws, and how it has evolved from an instrument initially designed to avoid conflicts into a tool aimed at coordinating joint investigations of international competition cases. It then considers how bilateral cooperation could be used optimally, by analysing two forms of advanced cooperation: the exchange of confidential information, and positive comity, which is the only satisfactory answer competition law can provide to market access cases. It shows that the use of such instruments is limited by significant legal and political obstacles, even in the context of the exemplary EC US relationship. The book therefore argues that the efficient use of bilateral cooperation will be limited to a small number of well-established competition agencies. If international anticompetitive practices are to be efficiently addressed by an increasingly large and heterogeneous group of competition agencies, horizontal cooperation between antitrust agencies must be complemented by a multilateral and supranational solution going beyond proposals currently put forward. The book concludes that only the WTO and its dispute settlement system could provide the basis for such a system.

Published in 1997, in this book an attempt has been made to analyze the legal structure of GATT and the WTO as well as those agreements which control trade in textiles. One of the GATT's major failures was its inability to come into line with the new economic reality and the needs of those states who created this system for controlling international trade. Trade in textiles was an excellent example of this. Now, the WTO aims to overcome this problem thanks to its greater pragmatism and its search for solutions to free trade difficulties. The WTO is not, however, the perfect solution. Its highly political character allows room for improvement even though the key to its success still lies with the effective cooperation of member states. As for the textile sector, this new panorama for trade in goods provides it with a new opportunity to finally return to the general legal framework in the year 2005.

This volume examines the impact of and interplay between human rights and insurance. National, supranational and international legal instruments regulating the taking-up and pursuit of the business of insurance and reinsurance, (re)insurance distribution and the insurance contract often refer to or impact on human or fundamental rights. Courts are often faced with the sometimes seemingly impossible task of reconciling insurance core principles, practices and mind-sets with the principles and values stemming from human rights protection. In some cases, such as that of discrimination in insurance, this discussion has been going on for decades. Some deal with hot topics which have more recently emerged in light of developments stemming from technologic innovations ('InsurTech'). The first part of the book focuses on insurance and the right to equal treatment. Discrimination on the basis of factors such as gender or age is tackled, from the perspectives of the European Union, Canada and South Africa. The second part of the book highlights the very relevant role played by insurance in the upholding of the right to health, covering the United States of America, Africa and Brazil. The third part of the book explores InsurTech's manifold challenges upon the right to privacy, focusing on European Union. The fourth part tackles the threat posed by insurance on the right to life in general, but with a particular focus on the United Kingdom. Written by legal scholars and practitioners, the book offers international, comparative and regional or national perspectives, aiming to contribute to a more thorough and systematic understanding of the interactions between these two very different fields of law, providing the industry as well as the scientific community with insights from both sides of this seemingly difficult to transpose divide.

World Trade Organisation (WTO) trade remedies (antidumping, anti-subsidy and safeguard agreements) are instruments used by WTO members to counter the economic injury caused by dumping, subsidies and the sudden and unforeseen increased imports. They are exceptions to the WTO principle of free trade and to the prohibition for States to react unilaterally to protect their own rights and interests, and as a result they have been accused by some as being the new tools of protectionism. This book analyses of the role and principles of WTO trade remedies in international law. In particular, it focuses on their aims, their structure, and their position within the WTO and more in general, the international legal system. The book considers trade remedies in light of fragmentation theories of international law and addresses the question how, and to what extent WTO law reflects and influences public international law.

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from third countries-a desirable form of investment to boost the EU's economy or a threat to important EU and Member State interests that must be mitigated via FDI screening mechanisms? FDI screening is a complex, controversial and highly topical subject at the intersection of law, politics and economics. This book analyzes the political rationale behind FDI screening in the EU, reveals the legal limitations of current FDI screening mechanisms based on security and public order, and identifies legislative options for broader screening mechanisms in accordance with EU and international economic law. In particular, the book identifies the four main concerns in the EU regarding FDI from third countries: distortive competition effects; the lack of reciprocity on FDI treatment between the EU and the investor's home country; objectives of the investor or their home country that may be detrimental to EU interests; and safety of private information. On this basis, the book analyzes the Screening Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2019/452) and its newly introduced screening ground "security or public order" and asks whether this and other similar screening grounds based on the notions of security, public order and public policy can address these concerns with regard to foreign investors. Based on an analysis of WTO law and EU primary law, it argues that they cannot. Thus, the question arises: Do the EU and Member States have the flexibility to adopt broader FDI screening mechanisms? To answer this question, the book examines the freedoms of capital movement and establishment in EU primary law, as well as various sources of international economic law such as, first and foremost, the WTO's General Agreement on Trade in Services, but also other bi- and plurilateral trade and investment treaties, including the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment. In closing, the book identifies various legislative options for broader FDI screening mechanisms-and their shortcomings.

Pushing the boundaries between domestic and unified laws, this book explores the differences between unification and harmonization. Bruno Zeller provides a critical examination of the Convention for the International Sale of Goods (CISG), the advances of international jurisprudence and the role of domestic courts, in order to consider whether unification is merely a myth or a reality.

Describing the salient features of unification and harmonization and using the CISG as a vehicle to test unification attempts, this volume touches on controversial points and fosters debates upon efforts to unify laws in discrete areas. It examines the assumption that the creation of a convention introduces a uniform law, which then contributes to the harmonization of international laws.

Provocative, this is a must read for postgraduates and researchers studying and working in the fields of comparative and international trade law.

Compiled by leading international trade law practitioners and academics from across the globe, this volume provides legal and business communities with information, knowledge and an understanding of recent developments in international trade, business and international commercial arbitration. Scholarly in style, this volume contributes to the discussions surrounding the developments whilst being informative and of practical use to the business community and lawyers. Covering the areas of international trade and business law, arbitration law, foreign law and comparative law, with one section devoted to the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, it contains: leading articles comments case notes book reviews. International Trade and Business Law Review is an invaluable resource for post-graduate students and business and legal professionals, primarily studying and working in the UK, USA and Australia.

Pushing the boundaries between domestic and unified laws, this book explores the differences between unification and harmonization. Bruno Zeller provides a critical examination of the Convention for the International Sale of Goods (CISG), the advances of international jurisprudence and the role of domestic courts, in order to consider whether unification is merely a myth or a reality.

Describing the salient features of unification and harmonization and using the CISG as a vehicle to test unification attempts, this volume touches on controversial points and fosters debates upon efforts to unify laws in discrete areas. It examines the assumption that the creation of a convention introduces a uniform law, which then contributes to the harmonization of international laws.

Provocative, this is a must read for postgraduates and researchers studying and working in the fields of comparative and international trade law.

This volume provides a comprehensive and interdisciplinary examination of the Multilateral Non-Proliferation Export Control system and the national and international context within which it functions. Key features: "

This book presents a conceptual framework for analysing the definitions of State aid and subsidy in EC and WTO law. This is done through a comparative analysis, examining the coherence of the conceptual understanding of the crucial, but still elusive, issue of the definition of subsidy. The first, important finding is that the topic is not only technical but raises more fundamental questions about the objectives of subsidy control in a given legal system and, more radically, about the goals of that system itself. The analysis does not only concentrate on the state of the law but critically looks forward offering suggestions for new interpretations and law reform. The book focuses on the substantive provisions of the EC and WTO relating to what are identified by the author as the core properties of a notion of subsidy, ie a form of public action, the grant of an economic advantage and the ensuing impact on the competitive process. The current regulation in EC and WTO law is analysed, compared and assessed in depth, and tested against a baseline represented by of a notion of subsidy inserted in a subsidy regulation pursuing certain objectives. Drawing on the results of the comparative exercise, the book argues that both systems can learn valuable lessons from each other to achieve a greater coherence and a more efficient regulatory system.

This book takes a law and economic approach to examine the securities law enforcement in China and provides an in-depth empirical analysis on the enforcement inputs and outputs. In contrast to previous studies, it systematically collects a large sample of judicated securities fraud cases and public sanctions as disclosed by the listed companies. The enforcement regime is further divided into the private enforcement exemplified by the civil litigation imitated by harmed investors and public enforcement by sanctions proceedings initiated by public agencies. Academic researchers, policy makers and practitioners, who are interested in the securities market and regulation could find the information provided in this book interesting.

This book explores the journey of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) as it is interpreted and translated from International Human Rights Law into domestic law and policy in different cultural contexts. Beginning with reflections on 'culture', 'disability' and 'human rights' from different disciplinary perspectives, the work is then organised as 'snapshots' of the journey of the CRPD from the international level to the domestic; the process of ratification, the process of implementation, and then the process of monitoring the CRPD's implementation in States Parties cultural contexts. Leading global contributors provide cutting-edge accounts of the interactions between the CRPD and diverse cultures, revealing variations in the way that the concept of 'culture' is defined. This collection will appeal to academics and students in Law and Socio-Legal Studies, Disability Studies, Policy Studies and Social Work, Sociology, Anthropology; and those training to be service providers with persons with disabilities.

This book explores the insights that can be gained by looking at the criminal justice system from an economic point of view. It provides an economic analysis of the institutional structure and function of the criminal justice system, how its policies are formulated, and how they affect behavior. Yet it goes beyond an examination of specific policies to address the broad question of how law influences behavior. For example, it examines how concepts such as the possibility of redemption affect the decisions of repeat offenders, and whether individual responsibility is (or should be) a pre-requisite for punishment. Finally, the book argues that, in addition to the threat of criminal sanctions, law inculcates principles of acceptable behavior among citizens by asserting that certain acts are "against the law." This "expressive function" of law can influence behavior to the extent that at least some people in society are receptive to such a message. For these people, the moral content of law has more than mere symbolic value, and consequently, it can expand the scope of traditional law enforcement while lowering its cost. Another goal of the book is therefore to use economic theory to assess this dualistic function of law by specifically recognizing how its policies can both internalize an ethic of obedience to the law among some people irrespective of its consequences, while simultaneously threatening to punish those who only respond to external incentives.

This book provides an original and critical analysis of the most contentious subjects being negotiated in the China-EU Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI). It focuses on the pathway of reforming investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) from both Chinese and European perspectives in the context of the China-EU CAI and beyond. The book is divided into three parts. Part I examines key and controversial issues of the China-EU CAI negotiations, including market access, sustainable development and human rights, as well as comparing distinct features between the China-EU CAI and the China-US BIT. Part II concentrates on the institutional reform of investor-state arbitration with an extensive analysis of the EU's approach to replacing the private nature of investment arbitration with the public nature of an investment court. Part III addresses the core substantive and procedural issues concerning ISDS, such as the role of domestic courts in investment dispute settlement, the status of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) as investors, transparency and the protection of victims in investment dispute resolution. This book will be of interest to scholars and practitioners in the field of international investment and trade law, particularly investment dispute settlement.

The essays in this volume attempt to explore and elucidate some of the legal and constitutional complexities of the relationship between the EU and the WTO,focusing particularly on the impact of the latter and its relevance for the former. The effect of WTO norms is evident across a broad range of European economic and social policy fields, affecting regulatory and distributive policies alike. A number of significant areas have been selected in this book to exemplify the scope and intensity of impact, including EC single market law, external trade, structural and cohesion funding, cultural policy, social policy, and aspects of public health and environmental policy. Certain chapters seek to examine the legal and political points of intersection between the two legal orders, and many of the essays explore in different ways the normative dimension of the relationship between the EU and the WTO and the legitimacy claims of the latter.

The ITBLA is the official publication of the Australian Institute of Foreign and Comparative Law. The annual publishes leading articles, casenotes and comments, as well as book reviews dealing with international trade and business law issues. The text is supervised by an international board of editors consisting of leading international trade law practitioners and academics from the European Community, the United States, Asia and Australia.

Attempts at developing a theory of international investment law are complicated by the fact that this field of international law is based on numerous, largely bilateral treaties and is implemented by arbitral panels established on a case-by-case basis. This suggests a fragmented and chaotic state of the law, with different levels of protection depending on the sources and targets of foreign investment flows. This book, however, forwards the thesis that international investment law develops, despite its bilateral form, into a multilateral system of law that backs up the functioning of a global market economy based on converging principles of investment protection. In discussing the function of most-favored-nation clauses, the possibilities of treaty-shopping and the impact of investor-State arbitration with its intensive reliance on precedent and other genuinely multilateral approaches to treaty interpretation, it offers a conceptual framework for understanding the nature and functioning of international investment law as a genuinely multilateral system.

This book provides a thorough treatment of the legal, economic, and policy issues associated with safeguard measures in the WTO system. It includes a careful treatment of the history of safeguard measures under GATT, and the impetus for the Agreement on Safeguards during the Uruguay Round. It reviews the economic arguments for and against safeguard measures, including the modern political economy account of safeguards and "escape clauses" in international agreements. Subsequent chapters focus on the key legal issues associated with the use of safeguards, including the procedural requirements, the obligation to demonstrate unforeseen developments and increased imports, the concept of "serious injury," the puzzling causation test, and limitations on the scope of safeguard measures including non-discrimination principles. All of the safeguard decisions within the WTO dispute system are thoroughly dissected and analysed. Included as appendices are the relevant treaty text and the pertinent national legislation of the United States and European Union.

Plant genetic resources are crucial for world agriculture, food security and the global economy. The patents and intellectual property rights (IPRs) associated with the development of new crops and other products are often critical to trade. Yet there is no unified international framework for a fair IPR regime in genetic resources.This book examines the international agreements relevant to IPRs: the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the World Trade Organization's TRIPS Agreement; and the Convention of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV). It sets out to establish an equitable IPR regime for biodiversity taking into account: ethical concerns over patenting life forms; environmental and social impacts; technology transfer; and the relation between traditional knowledge and IPRs.The book provides the first full-scale account of how to integrate the requirements of the CBD into the global IPR regime.Published in association with the World Conservation Union.

Nationalization disputes in natural resources development are among the most disputed issues of international investment law. This book offers a fresh insight into the nature of nationalization disputes in natural resources development and the rules of international investment law governing them by systematically analyzing (1) the content of investment contracts in natural resources development, and (2) the results of nationalization disputes in natural resources development from the perspective of dynamic bargaining theory. Based on the comprehensive and systematic empirical analyses, the book sheds new light on contractual renegotiation and renewal as a hardly known but practically normal solution of nationalization disputes and presents a set of soft law rules governing contractual renegotiation and renewal.

In the twentieth century there were two great political and social paradigms, the liberal-democratic and the libertarian (in its various socialist, anarchist, and communist delineations). The central idea of the first approach is isonomy: the exclusion of any discrimination on the basis that legal rights are afforded equally to all people. The central idea of the second approach is rather to acknowledge and address a broader spectrum of known inequalities. Such an approach, Bellanca argues, allows the pursuit of pluralism as well as a more realistic and complex view of what equality is. Here he analyzes the main economic and political institutions of an isocratic society, and in so doing, effectively outlines how a utopian society can be structurally and anthropologically realized. This book is ideal reading for an audience interested in the critique of contemporary capitalism through a renewed perspective of democratic socialism and leftist libertarianism. Nicolo Bellanca is Associate Professor of Development Economics at the University of Florence, Italy. He is the author of a broad array of scholarly articles, books and textbooks about both the history of economic thought and development economics. His current research focuses on the theory of institutional change.

Reconciling all fields of international economic law (IEL) and creating bridges between disciplines in a conceptual as well as practical manner, this book stands out as the first modern, comprehensive international economic law textbook. Containing a technically solid yet critically rich body of knowledge that spans disciplines from trade law to investment, from trade finance to fisheries subsidies, from development to the digital economy and other new-age topics, the book offers the widest possible coverage of issues in current international economic law. Positioning IEL as a truly global practice, the comprehensive coverage includes various treaty texts, landmark cases and new materials, and is supplemented by case studies, real-life examples, exercises and illustrations. The case extracts and legal texts are selectively chosen, with careful editing and serious deliberation to engage modern law students. Mini chapters show examples of interdisciplinary interactions and provide a window into the future disciplines of international economic law.