On 22 November 2024, Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) marked the official launch of the Queen’s International Economic Law Centre (Q-IEL). The new Centre aims to position QUB as a leading hub for research and teaching excellence in International Economic Law (IEL), enhancing the university's global reputation as a world-class institution.

Q-IEL unites a diverse group of legal scholars specializing in areas such as international trade law, investment law, dispute resolution, competition law, EU law, international finance, and emerging fields like maritime and space law. The Centre also embraces an interdisciplinary approach, engaging political economists, political scientists, and international relations experts to explore critical economic policy issues.

The event was inaugurated by Professor Janice Carruthers (Dean of Research in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences) and Professor Anna Bryson (Director of Research at the Law School), who highlighted Q-IEL’s pivotal role in fostering innovative research and policy contributions in IEL. They emphasized the Centre's importance in the post-Brexit landscape, where the UK navigates autonomous trade policies, and Northern Ireland occupies a unique position at the intersection of UK and EU law.

Professor Billy Melo Araujo, Director of Q-IEL, introduced the keynote speaker, Ambassador Santiago Wills, Director of the General Council and Trade Negotiations Committee Division of the WTO. Ambassador Wills delivered a compelling address on current trade negotiations and future directions at the WTO, drawing on his experience as Chair of the WTO Negotiating Group on Rules and the successful conclusion of the Fisheries Subsidies Agreement.

The launch featured three engaging panel discussions:

1. Trade and Sustainable Development – Shifting Landscapes

Chaired by Dr. Viviane Gravey (QUB), this panel explored the interplay between trade and sustainable development. Prof. Emily Reid (University of Southampton) examined just transitions within trade-environment paradigms, while Dr. Regis Simo (QUB) addressed developing country perspectives on sustainable development issues included in the new generation trade agreements.

2. Environmental and Human Rights Due Diligence in the Age of Global Value Chains

Chaired by Dr. Ciara Hackett (QUB), this session addressed the challenges of ethical global trade practices. Prof. Joanne Scott (European University Institute) critically examined EU due diligence policies as potential "green imperialism," and Dr. Marisa McVey (QUB) reflected on the stagnation of business and human rights frameworks in the UK and Northern Ireland post-Brexit.

3. International Economic Law – New Frontiers and Challenges

Dr. Victoria Barnes (QUB) chaired the final panel, where Prof. Federico Lupo-Pasini (Durham University) critiqued the sustainability of climate finance for sovereign states, and Dr. Pratyush Upreti (QUB) explored intersections between intellectual property, data, and international investment law.

The event concluded with Professor Billy Melo Araujo reflecting on how the panel discussions embodied the Centre’s commitment to producing engaged research informed by values of inclusivity, diversity and sustainability. These values, he explained would also be reflected in the Centre’s activities (including its staff seminar series) which would place an emphasis on promoting diversity of views and perspectives in international economic law scholarship.

Q-IEL is set to serve as a beacon for cutting-edge research and interdisciplinary collaboration, addressing the pressing challenges of modern international economic law and policy.