1. WTO Law and the Individual: Making Trade Law Work for You Prof. Dr. Krista Nadakavukaren Schefer Kaliningrad, Annual Forum on WTO Law 25 March 2015

4. Marrakesh Agreement, Preamble “The Parties to this Agreement, Recognizing that their relations in the field of trade and economic endeavour should be conducted with a view to raising standards of living, ….”

5. BACKGROUND FACTS

6. WTO Members

7. Russians’ Relationship with WTO “In the medium term, we find that virtually all households gain from Russian WTO access, with 99.9 percent of the estimated gains falling within a range between 2 and 25 percent increases in household income. … Despite the estimated gains for virtually all households in the medium term, many households may lose in the short term due to the costs of transition.” WB Policy Research Working Paper 3473, January 2005

8. HOW CAN THE INDIVIDUAL BE AFFECTED BY WTO LAW?

9. Indirect rights of traders Substantive Rights  Intellectual property protection  Non-discriminatory treatment in service supply Procedural Rights -Transparency of laws and regulations -Administrative or judicial review of governmental action

10. Direct rights of traders Preshipment Inspection Agreement, Art. 4 Grievance Panel (  Independent Entity  ) can be established if exporter is unsatisfied with decision of an inspection. -  (c) an exporter … wishing to raise a dispute shall contact the independent entity referred to in subparagraph (a) and request the formation of a panel.“ -  (h) the decision of the panel shall be binding upon the preshipment inspection entity …  -This possibility has as never been used

11. Dispute settlement Trade Remedies Sanctions on a losing Party can harm trade opportunities of that Member’s individual businesses -Suspension of intellectual property protections -Increased tariffs

12. HOW CAN THE INDIVIDUAL AFFECT WTO LAW?

13. Dispute Settlement 1.Getting a case to the WTO 2.Making a complaint in national courts on the basis of WTO law 3.Participating in a case at the WTO 4.Influencing the Impact of WTO Law

14. 1. Getting a case to the WTO (“espousal”) Violating Government Your case Your Government (3) WTO Claim at WTO (1) Measure affecting you (2) Espousal

15. 2. Making a complaint in national courts on the basis of WTO law (“direct effect”) Your case Your Government (1) Measure affecting you (2) WTO Claim in NATIONAL COURT

16. Russia & Direct Effect? «“Общепризнанные принципы и нормы международного права и международные договоры Российской Федерации являются составной частью ее правовой системы. Если международным договором Российской Федерации установлены иные правила, чем предусмотренные законом, то применяются правила международного договора.”»

17. 3. Participating in a case at the WTO (the “amicus curiae”) Violating Government Your case Your Government (1b) WTO Claim at WTO (1a) Measure affecting you or something you care about (2) Amicus Brief

19. 4. Influencing the Impact of WTO Law Violating Government (Yours) Your interest Government (1) WTO Claim at WTO (3) Measure to comply (2) Input to shaping the response

20. Rule-Making (necessary) WTO Negotiations Government Individual (1) Concerns or proposals (2) Negotiating positions and proposals

21. Rule-Making (optimal) WTO Negotiations Government Individual Concerns (2) Negotiating positions and proposals Information

22. THANK YOU – QUESTIONS? K.Nadakavukaren@unibas.ch