Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-27gpq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-19T02:27:57.948Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

6 - PTAs and public international law

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 December 2009

Simon Lester
Affiliation:
WorldTradeLaw.net, LLC
Bryan Mercurio
Affiliation:
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Get access

Summary

Introduction

From the first report of the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 1996 to Joost Pauwelyn's seminal work in 2003, commentators and practitioners alike have been grappling with the thorny relationship between the WTO and public international law. More recently, problems in interpreting and applying WTO provisions in the light of customary international law and non-WTO treaties have come to reflect a concern regarding ‘fragmentation’ of international law more generally. One reason for this potential fragmentation lies in the disparate dispute settlement mechanisms under various international legal systems, including preferential trade agreements (PTAs).

As negotiations in the Doha Round sputter, and PTAs proliferate, the relationship between PTAs and other institutions and aspects of public international law becomes all the more crucial. States evaluating the benefits of PTAs must be fully aware of the broader international context into which they are born and the implications of international law as each PTA develops. Moreover, existing PTA members may seek additional certainty about their PTA rights and obligations and the likely outcome in the event of a dispute relating to other areas of international law. More broadly, an investigation into the relationship between public international law and PTAs provides an additional case study of the perceived problem of fragmentation of international law.

In this chapter, we focus on two primary sources of public international law, namely treaties and customary international law.

Type
Chapter
Information
Bilateral and Regional Trade Agreements
Commentary and Analysis
, pp. 114 - 140
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Pauwelyn, Joost, Conflict of Norms in Public International Law: How WTO Law Relates to Other Rules of International Law (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bartels, Lorand, ‘Applicable Law in WTO Dispute Settlement Proceedings’ (2001) 35(3) Journal of World Trade499–519CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lennard, Michael, ‘Navigating by the Stars: Interpreting the WTO Agreements’ (2002) 5(1) Journal of International Economic Law17–89CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marceau, Gabrielle, ‘WTO Dispute Settlement and Human Rights’ (2002) 13(4) European Journal of International Law753–814CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Trachtman, Joel P., ‘The Jurisdiction of the World Trade Organization’ (2004) 98 American Society of International Law Proceedings139–42Google Scholar
Trachtman, Joel P., ‘Jurisdiction in WTO Dispute Settlement’, in Yerxa, Rufus and Wilson, Bruce (eds.), Key Issues in WTO Dispute Settlement: The First Ten Years (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005), pp. 132–43.Google Scholar
McLachlan, Campbell, ‘The Principle of Systemic Integration and Article 31(3)(c) of the Vienna Convention’ (2005) 54 International & Comparative Law Quarterly279–320.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pauwelyn, Joost, ‘Adding Sweeteners to Softwood Lumber: The WTO–NAFTA ‘Spaghetti Bowl’ is Cooking’ (2006) 9(1) Journal of International Economic Law197–206CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shany, Yuval, The Competing Jurisdictions of International Courts and Tribunals (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003).Google Scholar
,World Bank, Global Economic Prospects 2005: Trade, Regionalism, and Development (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2005), at pp. 28–30.Google Scholar
Koskenniemi, Martti, ‘Introduction’, in Koskenniemi, Martti (ed.), Sources of International Law (Aldershot: Ashgate, 2000), p. xiGoogle Scholar
Fitzmaurice, Gerald G., ‘Some Problems Regarding the Formal Sources of International Law’ (1958) Symbolae Verzijl153–76, at 173Google Scholar
Jennings, Robert Y., ‘What is International Law and How Do We Tell It When We See It?’ (1981) 37 Schweitzerisches Jahrbuch für Internationales Recht59–88, at 61.Google Scholar
McNair, Arnold D., The Law of Treaties (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1961), Chapter XXIVGoogle Scholar
Pauwelyn, Joost, ‘The Jurisdiction of the World Trade Organization’ (2004) 98 American Society of International Law Proceedings135–8, at 136Google Scholar
Marceau, Gabrielle, ‘Conflicts of Norms and Conflicts of Jurisdictions: The Relationship between the WTO Agreement and MEAs and Other Treaties’ (2001) 35(6) Journal of World Trade1081–131, at 1081CrossRefGoogle Scholar
,WTO, A Handbook on the WTO Dispute Settlement System (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004)Google Scholar
Palmeter, David and Mavroidis, Petros C., Dispute Settlement in the World Trade Organization: Practice and Procedure, 2nd edn (The Hague: Kluwer Law International, 2004)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mercurio, Bryan, Guohua, Yang and Yongjie, Li, WTO Dispute Settlement Understanding: A Detailed Interpretation (The Hague: Kluwer Law International, 2005)Google Scholar
Sacerdoti, Giorgio, Yanovich, Alan and Bohanes, Jan (eds.), The WTO at Ten: The Contribution of the Dispute Settlement System (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006).Google Scholar
Brownlie, Ian, Principles of Public International Law, 6th edn (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003)Google Scholar
Hsu, Locknie, ‘Applicability of WTO Law in Regional Trade Agreements: Identifying the Links’, in Bartels, Lorand and Ortino, Federico (eds.), Regional Trade Agreements and the WTO Legal System (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006), pp. 525–52, at p. 532.Google Scholar
Weiler, Todd, ‘NAFTA Article 1105 and the Principles of International Economic Law’ (2003) 42 (1) Columbia Journal of Transnational Law35–85, at 73.Google Scholar
Byers, Michael, Custom, Power and the Power of Rules (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walker, Kristen and Mitchell, Andrew D., ‘A Stronger Role for Customary International Law in Domestic Law?’, in Charlesworth, Hilary, Chiam, Madelaine, Hovell, Devika and Williams, George (eds.), The Fluid State (Sydney: Federation Press, 2005), pp. 110–35, at pp. 112–25.Google Scholar
Zamora, Stephen, ‘Is There Customary International Economic Law?’ (1990) 32 German Yearbook of International Law9–42, at 18–23.Google Scholar
Sohn, Louis B. and Baxter, Richard R., ‘Responsibility of States for Injuries to the Economic Interests of Aliens’ (1961) 55 American Journal of International Law545–84CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jennings, Robert Y. and Watts, Arthur (eds.), Oppenheim's International Law, 9th edn (London: Longman, 1992), Vol. I, at pp. 543–4Google Scholar
Paulsson, Jan, Denial of Justice in International Law (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sacerdoti, Giorgio, ‘Bilateral Treaties and Multilateral Instruments on Investment Protection’ (1997) 269 Hague Academy, Recueil des Cours251–460, at 342.Google Scholar
Afilalo, Ari, ‘Towards a Common Law of International Investment: How NAFTA Chapter 11 Panels Should Solve Their Legitimacy Crisis’ (2004) 17 Georgetown International Environmental Law Review51–96, at 84.Google Scholar
Ahdieh, Robert B., ‘Between Dialogue and Decree: International Review of National Courts’ (2004) 79(6) New York University Law Review2029–163, at 2124–5.Google Scholar
Steger, Debra P., ‘The Jurisdiction of the World Trade Organization’ (2004) 98 American Society of International Law Proceedings142–6, at 143.Google Scholar
Hsu, Locknie, ‘Non-violation Complaints – World Trade Organization Issues and Recent Free Trade Agreements’ (2005) 39(2) Journal of World Trade205–37.Google Scholar
Trachtman, Joel, ‘Book Review. Conflict of Norms in Public International Law: How WTO Law Relates to Other Rules of International Law by Joost Pauwelyn’ (2004) 98 American Journal of International Law855–60, at 857–8 (emphasis in original).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cherif Bassiouni, M., ‘International Crimes: Jus Cogens and Obligatio Erga Omnes’ (1996) 59(4) Law and Contemporary Problems63–74, at 68CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crawford, James, The International Law Commission's Articles on State Responsibility: Introduction, Text and Commentaries (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002).Google Scholar
Amerasinghe, Chittharanjan F., Local Remedies in International Law, 2nd edn (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004), at pp. 3–4CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sepúlveda Amor, Bernardo, ‘International Law and National Sovereignty: The NAFTA and the Claims of the Mexican Jurisdiction’ (1997) 19 Houston Journal of International Law565–94, at 583–8Google Scholar
Rubins, Noah, ‘Loewen v. United States: The Burial of an Investor-State Arbitration Claim’ (2005) 21(1) Arbitration International1–36, at 17–23.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dodge, William S., ‘Loewen Group, Inc. v. United States, and Mondev International Ltd. v United States’ (2004) 98(1) American Journal of International Law155–63CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dodge, William S., ‘Investor-State Dispute Settlement between Developed Countries: Reflections on the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement’ (2006) 39(1) Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law1–38, at 3Google Scholar
Cheng, Bin, General Principles of Law as applied by International Courts and Tribunals (London: Stevens & Sons, 1953)Google Scholar
Mitchell, Andrew D., Legal Principles in WTO Disputes (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
O'Connor, John, Good Faith in International Law (Aldershot: Ashgate, 1991)Google Scholar
Mitchell, Andrew D., ‘Good Faith in WTO Dispute Settlement’ (2006) 7 Melbourne Journal of International Law339–71, at 341–51.Google Scholar
McNair, Arnold D., The Law of Treaties (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1961), at p. 540.Google Scholar
Taylor, G.D.S., ‘The Content of the Rule against Abuse of Rights in International Law’ (1972–73) 46 British Yearbook of International Law323–52.Google Scholar
Cho, Sungjoon, ‘Breaking the Barrier between Regionalism and Multilateralism: A New Perspective on Trade Regionalism’ (2001) 42(2) Harvard International Law Journal419–66Google Scholar
Trachtman, Joel P., ‘Toward Open Recognition? Standardization and Regional Integration under Article XXIV of GATT’ (2003) 6(2) Journal of International Economic Law459–92, at 473–7 and 481–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mitchell, Andrew D. (ed.), Challenges and Prospects for the WTO (London: Cameron May, 2005), at p. 217Google Scholar
Mathis, James H., Regional Trade Agreements in the GATT/WTO: Article XXIV and the Internal Trade Requirement (The Hague: TMC Asser Press, 2002)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Trachtman, Joel P., ‘International Trade: Regionalism’, in Guzman, Andrew T. and Sykes, Alan O. (eds.), Research Handbook in International Economic Law (Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar, 2007), pp. 160–74.Google Scholar
Bartels, Lorand, ‘The Legality of the EC Mutual Recognition Clause under WTO Law’ (2005) 8(3) Journal of International Economic Law691–720.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Seidl-Hohenveldern, Ignaz, ‘Hierarchy of Treaties’, in Klabbers, Jan and Lefeber, René (eds.), Essays on the Law of Treaties: A Collection of Essays in Honour of Bert Vierdag (The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, 1998), pp. 7–18, at pp. 7–9Google Scholar
Leal-Arcas, Rafael, ‘Choice of Jurisdiction in International Trade Disputes: Going Regional or Global?’ (2007) 16 (1) Minnesota Journal of International Law1–59.Google Scholar
Kwak, Kyung and Marceau, Gabrielle, ‘Overlaps and Conflicts of Jurisdiction between the World Trade Organization and Regional Trade Agreements’ (2003) 41 Canadian Yearbook of International Law83–152Google Scholar
Anderson, Greg, ‘Can Someone Please Settle This Dispute? Canadian Softwood Lumber and the Dispute Settlement Mechanisms of the NAFTA and the WTO’ (2006) World Economy585–610CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marceau, Gabrielle, ‘NAFTA and WTO Dispute Settlement Rules: A Thematic Comparison’ (1997) 31(2) Journal of World Trade25–81, at 75–80.Google Scholar
Pauwelyn, Joost, ‘How to Win a World Trade Organization Dispute Based on Non-World Trade Organization Law: Questions of Jurisdiction and Merits’ (2003) 37(6) Journal of World Trade997–1030, at 1013.Google Scholar
Lowe, Vaughan, ‘Overlapping Jurisdiction in International Tribunals’ (1999) 20 Australian Yearbook of International Law191–204.Google Scholar
Voon, Tania and Yanovich, Alan, ‘The Facts Aside: The Limitation of WTO Appeals to Issues of Law’ (2006) 40(2) Journal of World Trade239–58, at 251–2.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×