This course provides a comprehensive and practice-driven examination of the international legal regime governing trade in services, focusing on the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), bilateral and regional agreements, and emerging regulatory issues. Students will analyze legal frameworks, commitments, regulatory barriers, digital trade complexities, cross-border data rules, and evolving state practices affecting market access and national treatment for service suppliers.
Special emphasis is placed on sector-specific regulation (e.g., finance, telecom, health, education, professional services) and emerging legal challenges in digital platforms, AI, cybersecurity, and e-commerce. Through hands-on training, students will develop legal skills in treaty interpretation, service schedule analysis, digital compliance audits, and cross-border regulatory strategy for global service providers.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
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Understand the structure, scope, and legal obligations under the GATS and related trade in services agreements.
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Analyze service sector liberalization commitments and domestic regulation disciplines.
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Identify legal challenges in regulating digitally delivered services, including data localization and privacy laws.
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Apply treaty law to real-world compliance, litigation, and advisory settings for global service providers.
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Interpret and use service schedules, reservations, and market access limitations in trade agreements.
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Evaluate cross-border regulatory risks and develop mitigation strategies.
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Draft legal opinions, compliance strategies, and advocacy submissions for service-related trade issues.
