Oxford runner-up at the GNLU International Moot Court Competition 2022

The team representing the University of Oxford were the runners up in the 13th GNLU International Trade Law Moot Court Competition (GIMC). The competition took place online from Wednesday 6th - Sunday 10th of April 2022. 

 

The GIMC is an international moot court competition hosted by Gujarat National Law University and focuses on International Trade Law in a World Trade Organisation (WTO) setting. The problem this year concerned a fictional dispute between two countries regarding the trade restrictiveness of labelling requirements applicable to cosmetic products and the imposition of taxes for products tested on animals. The problem focused on Articles 2.2, 5.1 and 5.2 of the WTO Technical Barriers To Trade Agreement, Articles III:2 and XX of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and Article 19.1 of the WTO Disputes Settlement Understanding. 

 

Oxford's team consisted of Jonathan Powell (BA, Jesus College), Jackel Cheung (BA, St Hilda’s College), and Cheryl Bee Yi Lin (BA, St Edmund Hall). After winning the two preliminary rounds, the University of Oxford ranked among the top eight teams out of twenty eight. From there, Oxford prevailed through to the quarterfinal, semifinal, and final rounds.  The team placed second before a panel of five judges formed of leading practitioners and academics specialising in International Trade Law. The panel was chaired by Professor Peter Van Den Bossch, former chairman of the WTO Appellate Body and Director of Studies of the World Trade Institute.

 

The three team members have been awarded a month-long internship with leading Indian law firm Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan in addition to other prizes sponsored by the Centre for Trade and Investment Law, Texas A&M University School of Law and the Academy of European Public Law.