LAWPUBL 432 : International Economic Regulation
Law
2025 Semester One (1253) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
This course studies the international rules on trade and investment: specifically, which multilateral, plurilateral, and bilateral treaties states, such as New Zealand, have signed up to, and what their rights and obligations are under these treaties in terms of opening up domestic markets to goods, services, and investors from overseas. We will study how these obligations have expanded over time into new areas of the economy to affect an increasing range of domestic regulatory decisions. This area is very much in flux, with new treaties being negotiated at the same time that the neoliberal model of free trade is being questioned. The course will introduce the core legal contents of the treaties, with an eye on the political and economic realities. We will also cover selected substantive issues, such as, for example, the balance between trade liberalisation and climate change regulation or trade liberalisation and te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Course Requirements
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | People and Place |
| Capability 2: | Sustainability |
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 5: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 6: | Communication |
| Capability 7: | Collaboration |
| Capability 8: | Ethics and Professionalism |
Learning Outcomes
- Develop and demonstrate an understanding of the core legal concepts of international trade and international investment law, and the institutions that shape these areas of the law. (Capability 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1 and 5.1)
- Critically evaluate and reflect on the economic and political background and history of multilateral, bilateral, and plurilateral trade agreements, and of their negotiations. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 6.1 and 8.1)
- Describe and critically evaluate the economic theories that inform international trade agreements and policies (Capability 5.1, 6.1 and 8.1)
- Communicate effectively about specific issues of international economic law to classmates in individual and group work (Capability 6.1 and 7.1)
- Demonstrate an understanding of the broader impact of trade liberalisation on other areas of public policy such as the protection of the environment, public health, national security, and indigenous rights. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 6.1 and 8.1)
- Critically evaluate and synthesise primary materials from international economic law to appraise current debates and inform a reasoned position (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 6.1 and 8.1)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Reading quizzes | 10% | Individual Coursework |
| Written briefing paper | 40% | Individual Coursework |
| In-class Group Presentation | 10% | Group Coursework |
| Interactive oral assessment | 40% | Individual Examination |
| 4 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |||||
| Reading quizzes | ||||||||||
| Written briefing paper | ||||||||||
| In-class Group Presentation | ||||||||||
| Interactive oral assessment | ||||||||||
Exam Mode
Workload Expectations
This is a standard 15-point course. As a general guide, you should expect a workload of five hours outside of the classroom for each hour spent in class. The guideline for the total workload for this course is 150 hours.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
Lectures will be available as recordings.
The course will not include live online events.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.
Learning Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
The relevant reading material will be available online via Talis and Canvas.
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
Fewer than 9% of students returned completed the SET evaluation in 2024. The main change in response to this limited feedback is to turn the oral presentation into group work to free up more time for lecturer-led classes.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course director, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a Student Academic and Support Adviser as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.