Editorial

Citation

Alramahi, M. (2010), "Editorial", Journal of International Trade Law and Policy, Vol. 9 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/jitlp.2010.41909caa.001

Editorial

Article Type: Editorial From: Journal of International Trade Law and Policy, Volume 9, Issue 3

We begin this issue with a manuscript titled “The implementation paradox: intellectual property regulation in the Arab world” by Mohammed El Said from Lancashire Law School, University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN). El Said explores and discusses how most Arab countries, members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), were unable to structure a national intellectual property protection regime which takes into consideration their development plans. He argues that due to the minimal participation and involvement by Arab countries in international trade and intellectual property negotiations, officials in these countries lacked deep knowledge and understanding about the technical and legal issues engulfing the regulation and implementation of intellectual property. The work calls for the maximum utilisation by these countries of the intellectual property policy space available to them under international law.

The second manuscript titled “International business ethics” by Ben Tran from Marshall Goldsmith School of Management at Alliant International University. Tran’s work provides an archival literature review to date on international corporate governance, and its challenges to achieve international corporate ethics compliance governance. In so doing, the work addresses the key steps in achieving such governance: chief ethics officer (CEO), tone at the top, and whistle-blower hotlines. With that said, the work will also address the value of unethical behaviour, both from a macro- and a micro-perspective.

“The impact of the recent financial crisis on EU competition policy for the banking sector” by Ilias Kapsis from Bradford University Law School discusses the long-term impact of the recent financial crisis on EU competition policy. The work, first, discusses the implications for competition from the measures adopted by national governments to address the recent financial crisis. Then, policy responses at EU level are presented and discussed before concluding with a discussion of the future challenges.

The fourth manuscript titled “Blurring regime boundaries: uneven legalization of non-trade concerns in the WTO” by Sieglinde Gstöhl from College of Europe Department of EU International Relations and Diplomacy Studies. The regulatory reach of the international trade regime beyond its own boundaries is attracting increasing scholarly and political attention as the WTO is expected to reconcile free trade with concerns related to public health, environmental and labour issues or intellectual property rights, Gstöhl’s work investigates to what extent and why the degree of legalization of non-trade concerns in the WTO varies across issue areas.

Our fifth manuscript titled “WTO effectiveness in resolving transatlantic trade-environment conflict” by David J. Hornsby from Department of International Relations, University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. Hornsby traces the process that is embedded within the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Committee for resolving trade conflict over risk-based regulations, highlighting a recent case in point of wood-packing materials. The manuscript elucidates a good news story how American and EU policy-makers utilize SPS Committee mechanisms to resolve differences over environmental regulations at the SPS Committee. Specific recommendations are offered on how to strengthen those mechanisms.

Moe Alramahi