Professional training - references

Training Programme for DG Trade Officials

Within the framework of a service contract with DG Trade, experts of the College of Europe designed and delivered training courses aimed at newly recruited officials of DG Trade or officials needing additional training or to refresh their body of knowledge in basic economics theory and international economics, international law, legal aspects of trade policy, and multilateral trade negotiations.

Participants

A total of 15 DG Trade officials wishing, according to their background, to gain an initial or updated insight into either legal or economic aspects of international trade, participated in the training sessions in Brussels.

Basic Economic Theory and International Economics 
The four-day training course aimed first at introducing participants to general aspects of Microeconomics and Macroeconomics. It furthermore provided a theoretical and case study based focus on Trade-related Aspects such as Trade Theory or Foreign Direct Investment and Trade. The last component of the course consisted of a specific lecture on the economics of economic integration in the light of the European experience.

Programme

Microeconomics

  • Introducing Economics

  • Supply and Demand

  • The Supply Decision

  • Profit Maximising under Perfect Competition and Monopoly

  • Profit Maximising under Imperfect Competition

Macroeconomics

  • The Simple Keynesian Analysis of National Income, Employment and Inflation

  • Money and Interest Rates

  • Unemployment and Inflation

  • The Balance of Payments and Exchanges Rates

  • The International Monetary System

  • Development Economics

TRADE RELATED ASPECTS

  • Globalisation

  • Overview of Standard trade theory

  • Testing trade theory

  • Policy implications of the standard theory

  • Overview of new trade theory

  • Policy implications of the new trade theory

  • Fragmentation, FDI and Trade

  • Theory of Trade policy

  • Strategic trade policy

  • Multilateralism, bilateralism, and trade blocs

  • Empirical studies on trade liberalisation

  • Fair trade policies

ECONOMICS OF ECONOMIC INTEGRATION, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THE EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE

  • The different stages of economic integration

  • Internal markets and welfare effects

  • The creation of the EU’s internal market

  • Potential improvements of the internal market

  • The specificities of the European economic and monetary integration

  • A policy area of the EU, the case of the CAP

Calendar

  • 3-4 October 2002
  • 15-16 May, 22-23 September 2003
  • 23-24 & 27-30 October 2003
  • 17-19 & 22 November 2004
  • 25-26 & 28-29 April 2005
Multilateral Trade Negotiations 
The two-day training course started with addressing general aspects of negotiations aimed at improving attendees’ basic negotiations skills by resorting to role-play exercises and case studies. Day two on WTO negotiations saw an insider’s knowledge and coaching of a real-time negotiation exercise by an experienced Ambassador. 

Programme

GENERAL ASPECTS OF NEGOTIATIONS

  • Overview of Bilateral and Multilateral Negotiations

  • Bilateral Negotiations

  • Multilateral Negotiations

  • Overview of multilateral – multi-issue negotiations

  • WTO Market Access

WTO NEGOTIATIONS General introduction to WTO negotiations

  • Special characteristics of multilateral trade negotiations in WTO

  • Reminder of the position of the EU and its Member States in the WTO

  • Organisation of the Commission in dealing with WTO matters

  • The most recent WTO negotiations since the Uruguay Round

  • Preparation of the negotiation positions

  • Internal EU preparation between the Commission and the Member States in the 133 Committee

  • The negotiations in Geneva

Negotiating Sessions 
  • 26-27 April 2004
  • 17-18 May 2004

Methodology
As a general rule, the overall format of the sessions prioritised interactivity and exchanges between lecturers and participants. This was particularly achieved through prior distribution of recommended reading material, case study presentations, and speakers’ proactive approach in inducing discussions. 

Facilities
The course was hosted in the conference facilities of a four-star hotel in the heart of the European institutions district in Brussels offering all required conference and lunch facilities.