Após 15 anos de sua adoção pelos Membros da Organização Mundial do Comércio, o Acordo sobre os Aspectos da Propriedade Intelectual Relacionados ao Comércio (TRIPS) ainda permanece como um dos pilares das modernas instituições do sistema internacional da propriedade intelectual e merece contínua análise de seus efeitos sobre países em desenvolvimento. Nesse sentido, tendências expansionistas e níveis mais elevados de proteção dos direitos de propriedade intelectual, nas distintas esferas do multilareralismo, bilateralismo e regionalismo, são, no entanto, confrontadas com as necessidades reais dos países em desenvolvimento, que ainda devem explorar as flexibilidades existentes no Direito Internacional da Propriedade Intelectual. Isso parece ser evidente após a fase de transição do Acordo TRIPS. A implementação de obrigações relacionadas à proteção substantiva e procedimentos de aplicação efetiva da proteção (observância) dá lugar para controvérsias resultantes das demandas pelo acesso aos bens do conhecimento - bens da tecnologia e informação na ordem internacional. O presente trabalho oferece contribuição para o estudo do Direito Internacional da Propriedade Intelectual na Era Pós-OMC e propõe uma análise e reavaliação de seus elementos, princípios e objetivos. Enfatiza a tarefa imperativa de redefinição do equilíbrio intrínseco da propriedade intelectual e a manutenção e expansão do domínio público, concebidos como valores de ordem pública internacional. Nesse contexto, o trabalho propõe analisar os objetivos futuros de um regime internacional da propriedade intelectual, em parte consolidados pelos proponentes da Declaração de Doha sobre TRIPS e Saúde Pública e a Agenda da OMPI para o Desenvolvimento. Em sua estrutura, o trabalho divide-se em três partes. A primeira parte (Status Quo: O Presente e o Passado dos Direitos de Propriedade Intelectual na Ordem Internacional) analisa as políticas e objetivos justificam o regime internacional da propriedade intelectual, seus fundamentos no Pós-OMC/TRIPS e convergência das competências relacionadas à propriedade intelectual na ordem internacional. A segunda parte (O Passado Revisitado rumo ao Futuro dos Direitos de Propriedade Intelectual) aborda as implicações das tendências expansionistas e fortalecimento dos padrões de proteção da propriedade intelectual, concentrando-se em dois casos principais: a harmonização substantiva e os sistemas globais de proteção e observância dos direitos de propriedade intelectual. A terceira parte (Futuro dos Direitos de Propriedade Intelectual na Ordem Internacional) propõe a redefinição dos princípios e objetivos centrais do Direito Internacional da Propriedade Intelectual no Pós-OMC (equilíbrio, transparência, cooperação internacional e transferência de tecnologia) e a manutenção e expansão do domínio público, flexibilidades e opções para acesso aos bens da tecnologia e informação. / After 15 years from its adoption by the Member States of World Trade Organization, the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) still remains as one of the main pillars of the modern institutions of international intellectual property system and deserves a continuous assessment analysis of its overall impacts on developing countries, their innovation systems and developmental concerns. In this sense, expansionist trends and higher levels of protection of intellectual property rights (IPRs) in multilateral, regional and bilateral levels - are nevertheless confronted with the actual needs of developing countries in exploring existing and pending flexibilities within the international intellectual property legal regime. This appears to be true particularly after the post-transitional phase of TRIPS Agreement, where implementation of the multilateral obligations related to substantive protection and enforcement procedures gave rise to considerable contentious issues emerging from demands for access to global public goods, knowledge goods. This Doctoral Thesis offers a contribution to the current debate on International Intellectual Property Law in Post-WTO Era and proposes an analysis and reappraisal of its elements, principles and objectives. The work aims at focusing the imperative task of redefining the intrinsic balance of intellectual property and maintenance and expansion of the public domain as values of an international ordre public. In this context, we analyze the systemic objectives of a prospective international intellectual property regime, which were in part consolidated by the proponents of Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health of 2001 and WIPO Development Agenda. In the first part (Status Quo: Past and Present of Intellectual Property in International Order) we analyze the main development of the current international intellectual property regime, its foundations in Post WTO/TRIPS, and convergent intellectual property related competences in international legal order. The second part (Present revisited towards the future of intellectual property rights) approaches the implications of expansionist trends and strengthening of standards of IP protection. In this case, our work focuses on two particular cases: the substantive harmonization and global protection systems and enforcement of intellectual property rights. The third part (Future of Intellectual Property Rights in International Legal System) further analyses core objectives and principles of International Intellectual Property Law in Post-WTO (balance, transparency, international cooperation and transfer of technology) and proposals for the maintenance and expansion of public domain, flexibilities and options for the access to the knowledge goods.

I evaluate four possible approaches the United States may take to address China's practice of undervaluing the renminbi: 1) a challenge under Article XV of the GATT and the associated IMF provisions; 2) countervailing duties; 3) antidumping measures; and 4) safeguard measures. I conclude that the first three approaches are unlikely to succeed; there are a number of legal and political obstacles to the pursuit of these remedies. While the current WTO safeguards regime is likely insufficient, a new safeguards regime can--and should--be developed. I review and critique Dani Rodrik's proposal for a new safeguards regime and set out my own basic blueprint for a significantly expanded safeguards regime, emphasizing that flexibility in the realm of international trade law would help to secure overall stability in international trade itself. In order to be effective shock absorbers, safeguards must become far more flexible.

I evaluate four possible approaches the United States may take to address China's practice of undervaluing the renminbi: 1) a challenge under Article XV of the GATT and the associated IMF provisions; 2) countervailing duties; 3) antidumping measures; and 4) safeguard measures. I conclude that the first three approaches are unlikely to succeed; there are a number of legal and political obstacles to the pursuit of these remedies. While the current WTO safeguards regime is likely insufficient, a new safeguards regime can--and should--be developed. I review and critique Dani Rodrik's proposal for a new safeguards regime and set out my own basic blueprint for a significantly expanded safeguards regime, emphasizing that flexibility in the realm of international trade law would help to secure overall stability in international trade itself. In order to be effective shock absorbers, safeguards must become far more flexible.

Germany’s economic dominance in Europe, generous investment incentives, and technical manufacturing prowess has encouraged an influx of Chinese-led inbound activity, concentrated in high-tech sector mergers and acquisitions. A close examination of these M&As yields evidence of systemic Chinese state-financing through both state-owned and private vehicles that likely stems from China’s “Made in China 2025” policy, which hopes to stem capital outflow and to indigenize technological innovation. As Germany braces for what it sees to be continuous attempts by China to take patented German technology through M&As, it worries that Chinese patent law will allow for rampant patent infringement by copycat Chinese entities. This paper presents an overview of the root causes of China’s heavy economic activity in Germany, as well as an analysis of the legal concerns held by German firms based on a close reading of the Patent Law of the People’s Republic of China and strategic recommendations for German companies hoping to work with or in China.

Les opérations du commerce international ont besoin de sécurité juridique. Le droit matériel uniforme se présente comme une réponse à ce besoin, offrant aux opérateurs du commerce international des règles uniformisées et adaptées aux transactions internationales. Toutefois, l'efficacité de cette réponse dépend fortement de la façon dont le droit uniforme est mis en œuvre par les juges nationaux et par les arbitres du commerce international. L'objectif de cette étude est donc de proposer une analyse critique de la pratique de l'interprétation des règles de droit uniforme en Russie en prenant comme exemple le droit uniforme de la vente internationale de marchandises établi par la Convention de Vienne de 1980. Au terme de cette analyse, il apparaît que les particularités du système juridique et judiciaire russe ont des implications non négligeables sur l'interprétation du droit conventionnel uniforme. Si l'intégration des conventions internationales dans le système juridique russe est censée garantir leur application par les juges étatiques, elle se trouve également à l'origine de la confusion opérée entre les règles du droit uniforme et celles du droit national. Confusion, qui amène les juges russes à interpréter les règles du droit uniforme à la lumière du droit national, mettant ainsi en danger l'uniformité de l'application du droit matériel international. En l'absence du principe de "stare decisis" transnational, l'uniformité de l'interprétation des règles du droit uniforme ne peut être assurée que grâce à une coopération et un dialogue entre les interprètes [...] / The international trade operations need legal certainty. The uniform substantive law comes as a response to this need, providing parties with uniform legal basis adapted to international transactions. However, the effectiveness of this response will largely depend on how the uniform law is implemented by domestic courts and arbitral tribunals. The objective of this study is to provide a critical analysis of the practice of interpretation of uniform legal texts in Russia by taking as an example the uniform law of the international sale of goods created by the Vienna Convention of 1980. This analysis reveals that the particular characteristics of the Russian legal and judicial systems have significant implications on the interpretation of uniform substantive law. The integration of international conventions in the Russian legal system is supposed to ensure their implementation by state judges, but it can also create confusion between the rules of uniform law and those of domestic law. This confusion brings Russian judges to interpretation of the uniform law on the basis of their national law, thus threatening the goal of international uniformity in interpretation of the uniform substantive law. Since there is no existing transnational precedent rule, the uniform interpretation of international substantive rules can only be achieved by co-operation and discussion between different national courts and arbitral tribunals [...]

Les dernières décennies ont témoigné d’un important accroissement des concentrations transnationales dans le monde et d’une multiplication des systèmes de contrôle des concentrations. Alors que les enjeux économiques revêtent désormais une dimension internationale, les mécanismes juridiques de régulation demeurent cantonnés à une échelle nationale ou régionale. En effet, la soumission d’une même opération de concentration à différents régimes de contrôle engendre plusieurs problématiques juridiques, dont le risque d’être confronté à des décisions contradictoires ou incohérentes rendues par différentes autorités de la concurrence. Ceci dit, il nous semble que des mécanismes juridiques pour réguler les concentrations transnationales s’imposent. S’agissant d’une réalité au niveau européen, la « régionalisation » du droit de la concurrence apporte une aide précieuse à ces problématiques. Au niveau mondial, différentes approches de solution sont envisageables. Cette thèse soutient, à court terme, la convergence des règles et des pratiques, afin de réduire les inconvénients associés au contrôle des concentrations transnationales, accompagnée, à long terme, par l’adoption de certaines règles contraignantes au sein de l’OMC. / In the past decades, the number of transnational mergers worldwide has significantly increased. Merger control systems follow the same trend and have proliferated during this period. While economic issues are globalized, legal mechanisms remain national or regional. The notification of one single merger to different merger control systems raises several legal issues, in particular with respect to the risk of achievingcontradictory or incoherent decisions from different competition agencies. Thus, revised legal mechanisms are required in order to adequately regulate transnational mergers. A“regionalization” of merger control, as set by the European experience, offers useful insights towards proposals to deal with these issues. In a global perspective, several alternative approaches are possible. This thesis supports, on the short-term, a permanent convergence of rules and practices to reduce problems related to transnational merger control, followed, on the long-term, by the adoption of certain binding rules within the WTO.

The needs of the free trade regime and governments' legitimate regulatory aims in the area of public health protection conflict. Government health measures create barriers to free trade and are thus disciplined by the trade regime. This conflict is addressed in the rules of the World Trade Organization, in the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures. This Agreement uses science to mediate the conflict. The reason for the reliance on science is the view that it provides a neutral, universally-valid discipline and that thus the results of testing health measures for scientific validity would be acceptable to both parties in a dispute. This uncritical approach towards science is called into question. An analysis of the relevant science-based disciplines of the SPS Agreement and their interpretation in WTO dispute settlement shows the flaws in this system. A re-evaluation of the WTO rules governing health regulation is called for. / Law / LL.M.

Cette thèse porte sur le recours à des mesures restrictives du commerce par le Canada comme moyen de lutte contre le travail dangereux des enfants, dans un contexte de mise en œuvre de la responsabilité internationale d’un État en cas de non respect de la Convention de l’Organisation internationale du travail nº 182 sur les pires formes de travail des enfants. Bien que la capacité d’imposer des telles mesures se rapportant à des situations de travail dangereux des enfants soit analysée, essentiellement, du point de vue du droit de l’Organisation internationale du commerce (OMC), cette étude reste circonscrite à l’application de la Convention OIT 182. De plus, cette thèse veut fournir une analyse prospective de nature spéculative portant sur l’opportunité de recourir à de telles mesures en discutant de leurs éventuelles conséquences sur les enfants qu’on vise à protéger par ce moyen. La première partie de la thèse s’intéresse à la légalité d’éventuelles sanctions commerciales imposées par le Canada afin d’amener un pays membre de l’OMC dont il importe des produits à respecter la Convention OIT 182. La légalité de ces sanctions est abordée tant du point de vue du régime général du GATT que de celui des exceptions générales. Du point de vue du régime général, l’analyse porte notamment sur l’article III de cet accord relatif au principe du traitement national. Une fois constatée leur illicéité à l’égard de l’article III du GATT, seul l’article XX de cet accord peut être invoqué pour permettre le recours à ces mesures. Nous nous attardons plus particulièrement aux exceptions de l’article XX relatives à la protection de la moralité publique et à celle de la protection de la vie et de la santé humaine. La thèse aborde les conditions auxquelles est assujetti le recours aux exceptions de l’article XX retenues comme pertinentes, notamment celles de la « nécessité » des mesures et du respect des compétences étatiques. En outre, cette étude analyse les conditions d’application des mesures restrictives du commerce découlant du préambule de l’article XX. En ce qui concerne l’exception relative à la moralité publique, cette notion est discutée dans un contexte national spécifique, soit celui du Canada. La seconde partie de la thèse s’intéresse à l’opportunité de recourir à des mesures commerciales restrictives et leurs conséquences éventuelles sur les enfants dont la protection est recherchée. La démarche, qui est éminemment prospective, prend la forme d’une étude de cas portant sur un secteur productif qui n’a jamais connu dans les faits des sanctions commerciales, soit la production floricole en Équateur. Il s’agit d’un secteur caractérisé par la présence d’enfants en situation de travail dangereux impliqués dans la production de biens destinés à l’exportation. Notre recherche est de type exploratoire. De ce fait, elle ne vise pas à formuler des conclusions fermes quant aux effets des sanctions, mais plutôt à déceler les effets potentiellement bénéfiques ou nuisibles que les mesures restrictives du commerce pourraient avoir sur les enfants exploités, ainsi qu’à évaluer la contribution des sanctions commerciales à la solution du problème. / This thesis focuses on Canada’s use of restrictive trade measures to fight against hazardous child labour, in the context of the implementation of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour (No. 182). Canada’s capacity to impose such measures in instances of hazardous child labour is analyzed primarily from the legal standpoint of the World Trade Organization (WTO), though the focus of this study is limited to the application of ILO Convention No. 182. In addition, this thesis aims to assess the appropriateness of such restrictive trade measures by discussing their potential consequences for working children. The first part of the thesis deals with the legality of prospective trade sanctions imposed by Canada to make a WTO trading partner comply with ILO Convention No. 182. The legality of these sanctions is discussed according to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) general rules as well as general exceptions. With regard to the general rules, our analysis focuses in particular on Article III, which pertains to national treatment. Once the illicitness of restrictive trade measures with respect to Article III of GATT is demonstrated, we turn to Article XX of this agreement as the only means to justify the measures. Specifically, we concentrate on the exceptions presented in Article XX related to the protection of public morals and the protection of life and human health. The notion of public morality is actualized within the Canadian national context. The thesis analyses the conditions limiting the use of Article XX’s relevant exceptions, including the "necessity" test and compliance with the rules of international law on state jurisdiction. Moreover, this study focuses on the rules related to the application of trade restrictive measures presented in Article XX’s chapeau. The second part of the thesis focuses on the appropriateness of using trade restrictions and their potential impact on the children whose protection is sought. The research consists in a case study on flower production in Ecuador, a sector characterized by the presence of children working under hazardous conditions and involved in producing goods for export. This sector has not yet been the target of commercial sanctions. Therefore, our research speculates on the effects of hypothetical sanctions and is exploratory in nature. The aim is not to reach firm conclusions about the effects of sanctions, but rather to identify the potentially beneficial or harmful effects that restrictive trade measures might have on exploited children, as well as to assess the potential contribution of such measures in solving the problem.

A presente tese evidencia o estado da arte da Teoria Jogos nas Relações Internacionais, e analisa estratégias de negociação decorrentes de processos decisórios no âmbito comercial. Ao delimitar - em tempo e espaço - a trajetória da Governança Mercantil Global, confere-se posição de destaque à Convenção de Viena de 1980 (CISG), regime dotado de ampla legitimidade, concebido sob a égide das Nações Unidas e recém ratificado pelo Brasil. A análise do referido processo de vinculação dá-se a partir de instrumentos metodológicos conferidos pela Teoria dos Jogos, culminado com a apresentação dos limites do modelo e de alternativas viáveis para seu desenvolvimento. / The present thesis sheds light on contemporary game theoretical approaches in International Relations, in particular as they pertain to the role of strategy setting in cross-border trade. The study of Global Trade Governance leads to questions of regime legitimacy, culminating with the adoption of the 1980 United Nations Vienna Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG), recently ratified by Brazil. The analysis of the aforementioned ratification process validates the threshold of game theory as its stands today, and proposes, on the other hand, viable alternatives for the development of the model.

Cette thèse porte sur le recours à des mesures restrictives du commerce par le Canada comme moyen de lutte contre le travail dangereux des enfants, dans un contexte de mise en œuvre de la responsabilité internationale d’un État en cas de non respect de la Convention de l’Organisation internationale du travail nº 182 sur les pires formes de travail des enfants. Bien que la capacité d’imposer des telles mesures se rapportant à des situations de travail dangereux des enfants soit analysée, essentiellement, du point de vue du droit de l’Organisation internationale du commerce (OMC), cette étude reste circonscrite à l’application de la Convention OIT 182. De plus, cette thèse veut fournir une analyse prospective de nature spéculative portant sur l’opportunité de recourir à de telles mesures en discutant de leurs éventuelles conséquences sur les enfants qu’on vise à protéger par ce moyen. La première partie de la thèse s’intéresse à la légalité d’éventuelles sanctions commerciales imposées par le Canada afin d’amener un pays membre de l’OMC dont il importe des produits à respecter la Convention OIT 182. La légalité de ces sanctions est abordée tant du point de vue du régime général du GATT que de celui des exceptions générales. Du point de vue du régime général, l’analyse porte notamment sur l’article III de cet accord relatif au principe du traitement national. Une fois constatée leur illicéité à l’égard de l’article III du GATT, seul l’article XX de cet accord peut être invoqué pour permettre le recours à ces mesures. Nous nous attardons plus particulièrement aux exceptions de l’article XX relatives à la protection de la moralité publique et à celle de la protection de la vie et de la santé humaine. La thèse aborde les conditions auxquelles est assujetti le recours aux exceptions de l’article XX retenues comme pertinentes, notamment celles de la « nécessité » des mesures et du respect des compétences étatiques. En outre, cette étude analyse les conditions d’application des mesures restrictives du commerce découlant du préambule de l’article XX. En ce qui concerne l’exception relative à la moralité publique, cette notion est discutée dans un contexte national spécifique, soit celui du Canada. La seconde partie de la thèse s’intéresse à l’opportunité de recourir à des mesures commerciales restrictives et leurs conséquences éventuelles sur les enfants dont la protection est recherchée. La démarche, qui est éminemment prospective, prend la forme d’une étude de cas portant sur un secteur productif qui n’a jamais connu dans les faits des sanctions commerciales, soit la production floricole en Équateur. Il s’agit d’un secteur caractérisé par la présence d’enfants en situation de travail dangereux impliqués dans la production de biens destinés à l’exportation. Notre recherche est de type exploratoire. De ce fait, elle ne vise pas à formuler des conclusions fermes quant aux effets des sanctions, mais plutôt à déceler les effets potentiellement bénéfiques ou nuisibles que les mesures restrictives du commerce pourraient avoir sur les enfants exploités, ainsi qu’à évaluer la contribution des sanctions commerciales à la solution du problème. / This thesis focuses on Canada’s use of restrictive trade measures to fight against hazardous child labour, in the context of the implementation of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour (No. 182). Canada’s capacity to impose such measures in instances of hazardous child labour is analyzed primarily from the legal standpoint of the World Trade Organization (WTO), though the focus of this study is limited to the application of ILO Convention No. 182. In addition, this thesis aims to assess the appropriateness of such restrictive trade measures by discussing their potential consequences for working children. The first part of the thesis deals with the legality of prospective trade sanctions imposed by Canada to make a WTO trading partner comply with ILO Convention No. 182. The legality of these sanctions is discussed according to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) general rules as well as general exceptions. With regard to the general rules, our analysis focuses in particular on Article III, which pertains to national treatment. Once the illicitness of restrictive trade measures with respect to Article III of GATT is demonstrated, we turn to Article XX of this agreement as the only means to justify the measures. Specifically, we concentrate on the exceptions presented in Article XX related to the protection of public morals and the protection of life and human health. The notion of public morality is actualized within the Canadian national context. The thesis analyses the conditions limiting the use of Article XX’s relevant exceptions, including the "necessity" test and compliance with the rules of international law on state jurisdiction. Moreover, this study focuses on the rules related to the application of trade restrictive measures presented in Article XX’s chapeau. The second part of the thesis focuses on the appropriateness of using trade restrictions and their potential impact on the children whose protection is sought. The research consists in a case study on flower production in Ecuador, a sector characterized by the presence of children working under hazardous conditions and involved in producing goods for export. This sector has not yet been the target of commercial sanctions. Therefore, our research speculates on the effects of hypothetical sanctions and is exploratory in nature. The aim is not to reach firm conclusions about the effects of sanctions, but rather to identify the potentially beneficial or harmful effects that restrictive trade measures might have on exploited children, as well as to assess the potential contribution of such measures in solving the problem.