Thèse en cours : Three essays on the effects of new generation trade agreements

Paris Dauphine University – PSL
Sous la direction de Gianluca OREFICE
Date d’inscription : Octobre 2021 

Traditional trade agreements prevent beggar-thy-neighbor policies and the tit for tat-based trade game that countries are playing with each other. However, when special interest groups and lobbies enter the party, the outcome of trade agreements might be very different from their initial structures and goals. The increasing integrativeness of trade agreements is producing economic consequences that become difficult to predict. Trade agreements have radically evolved and now seek to reduce behind-the-border trade barriers such as regulatory rules, harmonize sanitary and phytosanitary measures, implement investor-state dispute settlement systems, and enforce capital account liberalization as a rule. The effects of such endeavors are still uncertain and are raising a lot of interest from the trade community. In light of this context, this Ph.D. research project organized in three distinct chapters aims to provide answers on what are the true effects of trade agreements. I will focus on three important features that need further research: the rules of origins (RoOs), the investor-state dispute settlement mechanism (ISDS), and the trade-related aspects of international property rights (TRIPS). These specific provisions included in trade agreements are of utmost importance for developing countries. Ultimately, this work will provide guidance and recommendations on how the international community should take action to prevent potential adverse effects of such agreements.