TRP509: Drafting and Interpretation of Trade Agreements

The competencies in LDCs and other Low-Income Countries in drafting and interpretation of international agreements are minimal. This course targets persons that will be working in trade Ministries or State Law Offices in these countries with a view to building capacity for drafting and interpretation of trade treaties and other agreements such as the EPAs and routine trade related Administrative/ Executive Treaties. It is expected that at the end of the course students will acquire both a practical and theoretical appreciation of interpretative issues in the international legal system.

The objective of this module is to adequately expose and orient the student to the rules, principles and skills of treaty drafting and interpretation. At the end of the module, the student will be expected to:

1. Analyse the skills, techniques and best practices in the drafting of trade agreements.
2. Practice drafting of key provisions of treaties and related instruments.
3. Discuss and apply the principles of treaty interpretation in international law.
4. Examine some case studies of interpretation of trade agreement by the Panels of the Dispute Settlement Body, the Appellate Body and other international courts and tribunals.