Customs and Market Access in Practice

International trade rules become commercially meaningful at the border. This course examines the legal rules and practical decisions that determine the tariff treatment, customs value, origin, and clearance of traded goods. It combines WTO law with applied customs practice, covering tariff classification under the Harmonized System, tariffs and WTO Schedules of Concessions, rules of origin, customs valuation, and the principal disciplines of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement. Where relevant, the course will also consider preferential tariff treatment and rules of origin under free trade agreements.

A dedicated session will examine the renegotiation of tariff concessions under Article XXVIII of the GATT 1994, including its legal framework and its potential implications for exporters, importers, supply chains, and governments. Through practical exercises and case-based discussions, participants will learn how to interpret tariff and customs rules and assess how border treatment and changes in tariff commitments may affect commercial transactions and market access.

The course is designed as an introduction for students with no previous background, as well as for professionals working in customs and trade compliance, supply-chain management, import and export operations, government affairs, legal practice, consulting, chambers of commerce, industry associations, international organizations, and public administration, as well as graduate students specializing in international trade law and policy.