UCL WTO Forum: Are Doha and the Single Undertaking Trade Round Model Dead?

This event is not open to students.

WTO Scholars Forum and the World Trade Law Association:
Are Doha and the Single Undertaking Trade Round Model Dead?

Stefan Amarasinha, European Commission
Michael Johnson, Independent Advisor on International Trade Policy and
Former Co-ordinator of Trade Policy at the UK Department of Trade and
Industry

Tuesday 8 December 2009, 6 - 8pm 
at World Trade Law Association, Steptoe & Johnson LLP

About this event:
GATT and WTO negotiations for trade liberalisation have always aimed at
comprehensive packages containing something for everyone. But in 1994
the Uruguay Round had to leave several topics over to be settled later.
It took 9/11 and the financial slump to launch the already watered-down
Doha Round which was further starved of substance and ambition in 2004
(and later). Despite this lack of ambition, the current Doha Agenda
negotiations have still fractured, and bilateral and regional trade
deals are proliferating.  Does this mean that all-encompassing global
trade negotiations have become impossible? And what could emerge in
their place?

About the speaker:Stefan Amarasinha is Administrator in the Directorate-General for Trade of the European Commission (Brussels). From 1999-2005, he was responsible for negotiations and meetings within the WTO, OECD, and UNCTAD on Trade and Competition, Trade-Related Investment Measures (TRIMS) and issues relating to the functioning and transparency of the WTO. He also served as Trade co-chair of the OECD Joint Group on Trade and Competition. He is currently responsible for WTO dispute settlement, in particular relating to the SCM and AD Agreements of the WTO. Prior to joining the Commission in 1999, he worked in international law practice for Clifford Chance (London: 1998-99), the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Copenhagen: 1996-98) and the Danish Ministry of Interior (Copenhagen: 1993-95). He holds law degrees from the University of Copenhagen (1993) and Georgetown University (1996) (LL.M with distinction) where he studied as a Fulbright scholar. He has taught and lectured extensively on issues relating to international economic law and relations.

WTO Scholars' Forum
The Forum was set up in September 2006 by Dr Fiona Smith of University College London (UCL)’s Faculty of Laws. The Forum’s aims are to bring together leading experts on the law of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for discussions on WTO law and practice. Discussions are both web-based and face-to-face via conferences and smaller seminars. Experts are drawn from legal practice (solicitors and barristers) and leading universities in London and its immediate surrounding area, although there are plans to expand to national coverage. The Forum is  co-directed with Dr Isabelle Van Damme, Associate at Sidley Austin  LLP in Geneva.