The Negotiations for a New Agreement on Agriculture presents a history of the negotiations towards a fair and market-oriented international agricultural trading system. After an introductory chapter outlining the provisions of the Agreement on Agriculture, the book considers the analysis and information exchange process launched by the 1996 Singapore Declaration and the failed 1999 Seattle Ministerial. The mandated Article 20 negotiations are discussed before consideration is given to the 2001 Doha Declaration. The negotiations are considered in the context of the Cancun and, Hong Kong...

Combining an empirical analysis of the evolution of EU food regulation with a theoretical study of selected mechanisms used in governing food, this book provides a critical outlook on the capacity of the regulatory system to accommodate increased post-enlargement diversity of socio-economic concerns.

Sexual services and goods are regularly, and legally, offered in all Western countries. Although they are shunned through the age old maxims of in pari causa turpitudinis and nemo auditur, there is a growing tendency, both in legislation and case law, to recognize the effects of these contracts. The book analyzes the policies underlying the regulation of sexual services and goods and indicates some important conflicts: self-determination against human dignity, refusal of commodification of women's bodies against protection of sex workers, regulatory approach against prohibition. The analysis...

The World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement system, has succeeded, since its establishment in 1995, in generating a perception that the DSU offers one of the most advanced multilateral adjudicatory systems that exist today, principally because of the large volume of cases it has attracted and settled. Despite a high record of satisfactory settlements of disputes and tall claims in appreciation, there is an equal amount of scepticism, particularly about the nature and content of remedies for violations of WTO rights and obligations. This book presents a critical review on the...

Eight member countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) have recently concluded the Agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) and SAARC Agreement on Trade in Services (SATIS). To date, the progress of sub-regional trade integration in South Asia appears to be rather lacklustre. This book critically analyses the international legal aspects of economic integration in South Asia. It argues that although there are economic constraints in bringing about greater economic integration in South Asia, those constraints are not insurmountable. Many of the...

The Changing Landscape of Global Financial Governance and the Role of Soft Law provides interdisciplinary perspectives on the changing landscape of global financial governance by exploring the impact and role of soft law, directly or as a precursor of hard law, pertaining to financial governance. Since the shaping of financial governance impacts national, regional and global levels of regulation, different views and arguments contribute to the ongoing discussions about financial regulation. Against this background, this book brings together perspectives of economists and lawyers who...

Taking position from the recent 2007-2009 financial crisis, Credit Ratings and Market Over-reliance: An International Legal Analysis by Francesco De Pascalis provides an in depth legal and regulatory analysis of the concept of over-reliance in the use of ratings and how regulation facilitates over-reliance is different from mere reliance on credit ratings. Not only does the book provide an incisive doctrinal analysis of the concept of over-reliance, it also considers over-reliance from a comparative and international perspective by reviewing legal and regulatory developments under...