Mercredi 11 juin 2025: Federico G.L. Daniele
Federico G.L. Daniele soutiendra, en vue de l'obtention du grade de docteur en droit, sa thèse intitulée:
« The WTO in the age of Artificial Intelligence: Study on the applicability of the Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement and the General Agreement on Trade in Services to measures regulating AI products and services »
Mercredi 11 juin 2025 – 13h15
Salle 3050 - UNI MAIL
Jury : Prof. Mira BURRI, Université de Lucerne, M. Lauro LOCKS, Juriste et Conseiller Senior, OMC Secrétariat, Prof. Christine KADDOUS, Prof. honoraire Gabrielle MARCEAU (directrice de thèse), sous la présidence du Prof. Luc THÉVENOZ, doyen de la Faculté de droit.
Résumé:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has introduced new products and services into global trade, challenging the application of existing WTO rules. This thesis examines whether, and under what conditions, domestic AI regulations fall within the scope of the TBT Agreement—as technical regulations—and the GATS, or solely under the latter. Applying treaty interpretation rules from the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, it considers WTO Members’ original intent in defining the scope of these agreements.
The thesis argues that AI regulations may qualify as technical regulations under Annex 1.1 of the TBT Agreement when they impose obligations during the development, programming, or validation of AI systems, as these shape product characteristics. Simultaneously, AI regulations always fall under the GATS as measures affecting trade in services. However, existing GATS service sector classifications predate AI and do not consistently accommodate AI-delivered services. Identifying the relevant service sector and mode of supply is essential to assess whether market access and national treatment obligations apply, as these depend on specific commitments. Furthermore, the integration of AI, IoT devices, and high-speed connectivity enables smart objects to deliver services remotely. While this constitutes Mode 1 service supply, GATS commitments under Mode 1 predate these technologies. As a result, the commitments scheduled under Mode 1 do not reflect anymore the intention of the parties when they drafted their GATS Schedules of Specific Commitments.
The thesis recommends clarifying the scope of applicable regimes and updating GATS Schedules of Specific Commitments accordingly.
11 juin 2025