Business / Commercial Law

The World Trade Organization Knowledge Agreements, 2nd Edition

By Christopher Arup
Cambridge University Press July 2012

Specifications

ISBN-13
9781107405967
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Publication
July 2012
Format
Paperback
Jurisdiction
International ? Countri(es) for reference only

Details

The WTO intellectual property and services agreements (TRIPs and GATS) form the global legal framework in which governments now regulate trade in knowledge. This second edition, first published in 2008, analyses the provisions of the agreements and examines closely the thirteen years of implementation and revision. Gathering together the interpretations placed on the agreements by the WTO dispute settlement bodies, it reports on the initiatives taken by the members both to liberalise trade in knowledge and to shape international business regulation. Drawing on this, Christopher Arup assesses the future of the WTO as a global law-making institution. Three expanded case studies (legal services, genetic codes/essential medicines, and on-line media) illustrate the impact of the agreements and highlight the challenges faced by the WTO in reconciling free trade with social regulation.

• Analysis of TRIPS and GATS dispute rulings gives reader clear explanation of provisions and decisions

• Evaluation of recent TRIPs and GATs negotiations illustrates legal impact through vital case studies

• Prognosis for WTO and global law shows how TRIPs and GATs fit within WTO and international law

Table of Contents

Preface and Acknowledgements page xi
List of WTO dispute rulings xiii
List of international instruments xvii
PART 1 GLOBALISATION, LAW AND THE WTO 1
1 Trade law as a global mediator 3
2 A global context 22
    Research 24
    Outlooks 25
    Convergence and divergence 28
    Legal pluralism 35
    International law making 42
    Interfaces 55
    Conclusions 58
3 The World Trade Organization 65
    The ethos of the WTO 67
    Agreement making 71
    The dispute settlement system 85
    The content of the norms 105
    Bilateral free trade agreements 129
    Scope for national regulation 131
    International regulation 135
    Competition regulation 143
    Conclusions 151
PART II SERVICES 163
4 The General Agreement on Trade in Services 165
    Emergence of the GATS 167
    Status and format of the agreement 171
    Uruguay Round listings 180
    The MFN norm 185
    The national treatment norm 188
    The market access norm 193
    The modes of supply 198
    Domestic regulation 206
    Financial services negotiations 212
    GATS and FTAs 216
    New Round negotiations 2000–2007 219
    Conclusions 226
5 The case of legal services 232
    Styles of services supply 234
    Locations for legal work 242
    National regulation 247
    Impact of the GATS 251
    Country practices 254
    New negotiations 264
    Professional standards 268
    Conclusions 276
PART III INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 283
6 The Agreement on Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights 285
    The Uruguay Round 286
    General provisions and basic principles 292
    Copyright and related rights 299
    Patents 304
    Other categories 307
    Enforcement provisions 315
    Special and differential treatment 317
    Dispute settlement 319
    National access regulation 323
    TRIPs and FTAs 336
    Conclusions 342
7 The case of genetic codes 348
    Coding food and medicines 350
    Intellectual property regulation 356
    The concept of invention 363
    Exceptions to patentability 371
    Exceptions to infringement 376
    Plant variety rights 378
    Protection for traditional knowledge 383
    Access to medicines 395
    Conclusions 409
PART IV CONVERGENCE 421
8 The case of communications media 423
    Media freedom and control 426
    Industry-specific regulation 432
    Impact of the GATS 434
    Intellectual property regulation 438
    Impact of TRIPs 451
    The WIPO internet treaties 453
    Competition regulation 459
    WTO competition re-regulation 475
    WTO competition and investment agenda 484
    Conclusions 499
Index 511

About the Author

Christopher Arup
Monash University, Victoria

Reviews

'This book shines a torch on two of the most important multilateral agreements sponsored by the World Trade Organisation, viz the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) which together regulate trade in knowledge. As well as analysing the provisions of these instruments, it provides an assessment of how they have worked in practice over the thirteen years during which they have been in existence. The assessment is aided by case studies on three important subjects - legal services, generic codes/essential medicine and on-line media. Arup adopts an approach which is as balanced as it is rigourous, making this a very valuable source of reference in this important field.' Commonwealth Lawyer's Association and Contributors

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