The ACWL’s Mandate to Provide Training on WTO Law: The ACWL’s Annual Training Course

Abstract

The Advisory Centre on WTO Law (ACWL) has a mandate to provide legal training on WTO law. The ACWL developed its first training course on WTO law in 2002. To date, the ACWL has conducted nineteen training courses. The ACWL structures its annual training courses on a three-year cycle. The first course covers the basic principles of WTO law, the second covers the WTO Agreements relating to trade remedies, trade in services and trade-related intellectual property rights, and the third covers WTO dispute settlement procedures. The training course is taught by ACWL lawyers and begins in October and ends in June the following year. Over the years, 955 delegates have registered their interest in attending the training courses, 159 of whom were from least-developed countries (LDCs.) The ACWL has provided Certificates of Attendance – given to delegates that attend a minimum number of training sessions each year – to 630 delegates, ninety six of whom were from LDCs. Feedback from former participants has been positive indicating that their participation in the ACWL’s training course(s) has assisted themselves and their government to better understand their rights and obligations under WTO law. Training, capacity building, ACWL, basic principles on WTO law, WTO agreements, Moot Court exercise, developing countries, least developed countries, Geneva-based delegates