Regulatory Autonomy in International Economic Law provides the first extensive legal analysis of Australia's trade and investment treaties in the context of their impact on national regulatory autonomy. This thought-provoking study offers compelling lessons for not only Australia but also countries around the globe in relation to pressing current problems, including the uncertain future of the World Trade Organization and widespread concerns about the legitimacy of investor-State dispute settlement. Through a critical exploration of evolving patterns of treaty practice, the authors address the complex relationship between international economic law and a State's regulatory autonomy in the key areas of intellectual property, services, and investment. This insightful investigation highlights problems of inconsistency across treaties, limited transparency and consultation in the negotiation of treaties, and increasing restrictions on policy space in intellectual property protection. These factors are all crucial in preserving a country's ability to pursue policy objectives such as protecting public health and the environment while capturing the benefits of international trade and foreign investment. This discerning book will prove instrumental to scholars and practitioners in the fields of international trade law, international investment law, public international law, and intellectual property. It will also appeal to government agencies and international organisations working in these areas or in matters of public health or the environment.

Tobacco use represents a critical global health challenge. The World Health Organization estimates that tobacco kills nearly 6 million people a year, with the toll expected to rise to 8 million annually over the next two decades. This detailed book, written by health and legal experts from institutions around the globe, examines legal issues arising from Australia's world-first introduction of mandatory plain packaging of tobacco products. The book offers an in-depth exploration of relevant domestic and international legal questions in fields such as intellectual property, constitutional law, health, trade and investment. The authors' analysis sheds light on broader questions relating to the capacity of governments to regulate tobacco products and the tobacco industry, and to regulate in the interests of public health more generally. The answers to these questions are of vital interest not only to Australia but also to the international community, with states' regulatory sovereignty increasingly being challenged in local and international courts and tribunals. This timely study is designed to assist international organizations, NGOs, policymakers, and scholars in law, medicine and health-related areas. Health professionals and advisors will also find much of interest here. Contributors: A. Alemanno, G. Ayres, E. Bonadio, J. Bosland, S. Chapman, M. Davison, S. Evans, T.A. Faunce, B. Freeman, K. Lannan, J. Liberman, B. McGrady, A.D. Mitchell, M. Scollo, T. Voon

This book provides a detailed analysis of major legal and public policy issues arising from the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) - a treaty that will dramatically change the landscape of international trade, with effects that will be felt on a global scale.Experts from a range of backgrounds around the world provide perspectives on the significance and likely impact of the agreement, and in particular its implications for national regulatory autonomy. The chapters cover cross-cutting issues such as development, health and the environment, as well as more specific areas such as agriculture and services, and controversial questions of intellectual property, investment and dispute settlement under the agreement. With an analytical focus on broad principles and enduring issues arising from the TPP, this informative book will appeal to academics, government advisors, NGOs, and students of law, economics, and international relations. Legal practitioners will also find much of interest in this book. Contributors: W.-M. Choi, D. Elms, D. Kotlowitz, M. Lewis, J. Meltzer, A. Mitchell, J. Munro, R. Polanco, M. Rimmer, L. Trakman, T. Voon, K. Weatherall

The need to reduce disability and premature deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is increasingly engaging international organisations and national and sub-national governments. In this book, experts from a range of backgrounds provide insights into the legal implications of regulating tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy foods, all of which are risk factors for NCDs. As individual countries and the international community move to increase targeting of these risk factors, affected industries are turning to national and international law to challenge the resulting regulations. This book explores how the effective regulation of tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy foods can be achieved within the context of international health law, international trade and investment law, international human rights law, international intellectual property law, and domestic laws on constitutional and other matters. Its contributors consider the various tensions that arise in regulating NCD risk factors, as well as offering an original analysis of the relationship between evidence and health regulation. Covering a range of geographical areas, including the Americas, the European Union, Africa and Oceania, the book offers lessons for health and policy practitioners and scholars in navigating the complex legal fields in which the regulation of tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy foods takes place.

The need to reduce disability and premature deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is increasingly engaging international organisations and national and sub-national governments. In this book, experts from a range of backgrounds provide insights into the legal implications of regulating tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy foods, all of which are risk factors for NCDs. As individual countries and the international community move to increase targeting of these risk factors, affected industries are turning to national and international law to challenge the resulting regulations.

This book explores how the effective regulation of tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy foods can be achieved within the context of international health law, international trade and investment law, international human rights law, international intellectual property law, and domestic laws on constitutional and other matters. Its contributors consider the various tensions that arise in regulating NCD risk factors, as well as offering an original analysis of the relationship between evidence and health regulation.

Covering a range of geographical areas, including the Americas, the European Union, Africa and Oceania, the book offers lessons for health and policy practitioners and scholars in navigating the complex legal fields in which the regulation of tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy foods takes place.

Tobacco use represents a critical global health challenge. The World Health Organization estimates that tobacco kills nearly 6 million people a year, with the toll expected to rise to 8 million annually over the next two decades. Written by health and legal experts from institutions around the globe, The Global Tobacco Epidemic and the Law examines the key areas of domestic and international law affecting the regulation of tobacco.The book offers a wide-ranging and in-depth exploration of relevant legal questions, including a focus on the activities of the World Health Organization and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, as well as an extensive evaluation of relevant developments in international trade law and international investment law. The authors' expert analysis also sheds light on broader questions relating to the capacity of governments to regulate tobacco products and the tobacco industry, as reflected in detailed case studies of tobacco control in various countries and regions around the world. The answers to these questions are of vital interest to the international community, with states' regulatory sovereignty regarding tobacco increasingly being challenged in local and international courts and tribunals. Combining unique insight with rigorous analysis, this book will facilitate a more sophisticated understanding of the legal issues concerning tobacco control and will be of interest to lawyers, diplomats, policymakers and NGOs, as well being a valuable resource for scholars of law, public policy and health. Contributors: N. Boister, O.A. Cabrera, J. Carballo, R. Cunningham, M. Davison, K. DeLand, L. Gruszczynski, P. Henning, L. Hsu, J. Liberman, G. Lien, T-y. Lin, C-f. Lo, A. Mitchell, L. Shmatenko, D. Singh, J. Strawbridge, T. Tucker, T. Voon, H. Wipfli, C-F. Wu, A. Yadav

The essays selected for this volume offer significant contributions to the ongoing exploration of the intersection between, on the one hand, international trade law and, on the other hand, the overlapping spheres of the environment, development, labour, human rights, public morals, culture, competition, investment, and finance. The volume takes in to account the key challenges to international trade law in terms of the non-trade objectives that governments, policy-makers, legal professionals, NGOs and scholars consider when developing, interpreting, critiquing, implementing or enforcing the law of the World Trade Organization and preferential trade agreements. The essays represent leading research from the period between 1998 and 2012 and are complemented by an introduction and bibliography providing further context and insights.

The past two decades have seen a significant proliferation of trade and investment treaties around the world. States are increasingly negotiating agreements that regulate both trade and investment, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. The number of investor-state dispute settlement cases is rapidly accumulating each year, yet states' enthusiasm for investor-state arbitration has become more qualified as concern has intensified that the system can be abused by foreign investors. Good faith is therefore becoming increasingly important as a principle, particularly in the investment context, due to disputes about investor conduct such as corporate restructuring in order to gain the protection of a particular investment treaty regarding an existing or foreseeable dispute, and States' responses to public policy concerns through attempts to modify or terminate investment treaties in the face of ongoing or expected claims. Tribunals adjudicating investment disputes have used the principle of good faith in a haphazard and uncoordinated manner, causing serious problems of uncertainty and inconsistency. In response to these developments, this book contains the first comprehensive and integrated analysis of the treatment of good faith in international investment law, noting the broader implications of good faith in public international law and international trade law.

Debate about trade and culture has a long history, but the application of WTO rules to cultural products such as films, radio, and books remains one of the most divisive issues in the organization. After assessing the economic and social arguments for treating cultural products differently from things like steel or wheat, this 2007 book explains how the vastly different views of WTO members in earlier negotiations led to an outcome that is disappointing for all. It goes on to provide a comprehensive evaluation of possible solutions, including evolution of the law through WTO dispute settlement, an agreement outside the WTO, and reforms to improve the balance between trade liberalization and cultural policy objectives.

Debate about trade and culture has a long history, but the application of WTO rules to cultural products such as films, radio, and books remains one of the most divisive issues in the organization. After assessing the economic and social arguments for treating cultural products differently from things like steel or wheat, this 2007 book explains how the vastly different views of WTO members in earlier negotiations led to an outcome that is disappointing for all. It goes on to provide a comprehensive evaluation of possible solutions, including evolution of the law through WTO dispute settlement, an agreement outside the WTO, and reforms to improve the balance between trade liberalization and cultural policy objectives.