The eBook version is priced from £22/$31 from Google Play, ebooks.com and other eBook vendors, while in print the book can be ordered from the Edward Elgar Publishing website.
Advanced Introduction to International Trade Law is a fitting title for this work. While introducing the reader to a wide array of trade law concepts as promised in the title, the work goes beyond a mere introduction. Specifically, each chapter provides robust discussion of the topics introduced, including explaining the history of the topic, relevant World Trade Organization (WTO) cases, and notable debates and controversies. This level of detail and discussion may be overwhelming for a reader simply looking for a broad introduction to each concept, but for many readers the detail allows for a more nuanced understanding of the topic presented than is typical of an introductory volume.
Notably, the discussions provide readers with many jumping off points for further delving into these trade law concepts. The authors are intentionally selective in their footnotes and reference the work's introductory nature as the reason for this choice. This means that the secondary and primary sources referenced in the footnotes are foundational works on the topics discussed and serve as excellent starting points for further research into the areas explored in this introduction to international trade law.
The introductory chapter lays the foundation for the rest of the work by providing an historical overview of the development of the modern trade regime, particularly focusing on developments ultimately leading to the WTO, and explaining the origins and arguments for or against foundational trade concepts.
Chapter 2 primarily focuses on WTO dispute settlement. The discussion provides interesting background statistics, an overview of the process, historical context, and information on key countries filing and responding to complaints.
The work continues with a focus on tariffs and the related Most Favoured Nation (MFN) principle. The authors break down some of their explanations with reference to A, B, and C parties, describing their interaction to concretely illustrate MFN principle issues. References to key cases addressing these topics provide further guidance and access to primary sources for those using this work as a background tool for research.
Preferential trade agreements come next, agreements to grant preferential access between two or more countries. The authors explain that the number of PTAs has increased exponentially since the 1990s, describe the framework for these agreements under the GATT, and discuss arguments for and against these agreements.
Subsequent chapters on the National Treatment principle, anti-dumping laws, subsidies and countervailing duties, safeguards and adjustment assistance policies, agriculture, trade in services, foreign direct investment (FDI), and intellectual property rights follow similar patterns of discussing background, history, cases, and controversies for each topic in an organized fashion. The chapter on FDI, for example, provides a fascinating view into the history and development of FDI, including the dramatic rise of Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITS) and surrounding controversies.
The final four chapters focus on policy issues in relation to health and safety, the environment, labor standards and human rights, and developing countries. The chapter on health and safety discusses numerous cases that have shaped this area over the years. The labor standards and human rights chapter is particularly interesting for its discussion of how trade interacts with core labor standards and the connections between this topic in the trade context and other human rights arenas grappling with labor issues worldwide.
The concluding chapter turns toward the future by highlighting issues likely to impact trade in the coming years and emerging issues, such as digital trade, becoming increasingly important as our electronic connections worldwide continue to proliferate.
Overall, this book provides a detailed overview of the current landscape of international trade law and would be helpful for any reader looking to understand not just what international trade law is, but how it has evolved and will continue to evolve over time. The authors clearly have a deep understanding of international trade law and adeptly distill this understanding into an approachable volume on the topic.
