A Global Law Perspective of the WTO

Abstract

This note attempts to map the relevance of the emerging global law advocacy for the WTO. In this regard, it understands global law as an attempt to describe a growing decrease of the regulatory State and an ensuing increase of private rule-making. Global law intends to generate new thinking about global governance and its patterns of influence and power. Few instances of creeping global law in the WTO are identified, whereas the note concludes with some thoughts on much-needed future research on a range of topics ranging from the role of NGOs to the struggle against intrinsic inequalities of the multilateral trading system.

Keywords: Global law, WTO, transnational law, producer welfare, consumer welfare, NGOs

JEL Classification: F02, F13, F53, F59, F60