New Zealand Centre of International Economic Law

The New Zealand Centre of International Economic Law encourages discussion and research on issues relating to international economic law.

The New Zealand Centre of International Economic Law (NZCIEL) was established in 2007 at Victoria University of Wellington’s Faculty of Law in Wellington as an interdisciplinary centre of research excellence on all issues relating to international economic law. The founding co-directors were Susy Frankel and Meredith Lewis.

The central goal of the NZCIEL is to provide a forum for discussion and debate leading to quality research into all areas of international economic law.

The field of international economic law encompasses all those parts of public international law which regulate international economic relations, including the law of the World Trade Organization and subsequent trade agreements, and its governance of international trade in goods and services, international intellectual property law; trade and development; the international monetary system; international investment law; and the role of international law in promoting growth in transition economies and developing states. NZCIEL’s work also includes how international economic law affects the domestic regulation of the economy, commerce and public institutions.

Since its establishment NZCIEL has contributed to the New Zealand and international research environment, through conferences, seminars and several published works. The Centre’s first years have particularly focused on trade, innovation and investment through a series of conferences, seminars and publications on a variety of topics including international trade law, investment and intellectual property law.

NZCIEL played a major part in the New Zealand Law Foundation’s Regulatory Reform Project, which looked at a variety of areas of economic regulation (such as telecommunications and electricity) and the influence of trade agreements on domestic regulation. You can read more about the project here and view its ground-breaking toolkit at www.regulatorytoolkit.ac.nz.

NZCIEL’s continuing activities provide an opportunity to engage in discussion and debate about international economic law and its effects on New Zealand and our trading partners.

To register your interest and join our mailing list, please email nzciel@vuw.ac.nz.