Week 38: Trade, Human Rights and Corporate Social Responsibility

The course will address two key developments and their impact on international trade law: The fragmentation of international law and the emergence of different legal regimes. We will look at the relationship between international trade law and human rights, identify potential sources of conflict and discuss options for reconciling the two regimes. The second focus will be on issues of governance which are related to the phenomenon of fragmentation. Companies and especially multinational enterprises influence not only economic relations but also regulatory processes. The course will discuss their role in international law, specifically in international trade law. Since the responsibility of multinational companies when engaging in international trade is a heavily debated topic, we will spend some time looking at the concept of corporate social responsibility and its relevance for international trade law.