Dr. David Luff

Practice Experience

Dr David Luff has been practising international trade and investment law at both EC and international levels for twenty-four years. He advised private multinational companies and governments in trade-related matters in the sectors of financial services, postal and telecommunications services, renewable energy, diamonds, textiles and clothing, steel, aluminium, drilling material, chemicals, sugar, bananas, dairy products, fruits and vegetables. He also regularly advises governments and economic operators on WTO implementation, trade negotiations, supply chain strategies, and investment issues. His work brought him to more than eighty countries. Dr David Luff has extensive experience of developing countries, in particular the ACP and South East Asia.

Dr David is also an experienced litigator before international Courts and arbitration chambers. He is in charge of several sanctions and trade remedy case cases before the General Court of the EU and the European Court of Justice. He is also well versed in arbitration related to development assistance, in particular under the special arbitration rules of the European Development Fund. He also advocates cases for his clients before WTO Panels and the United Nations Security Council.

Dr David Luff is a professor of International Trade Law at the University of Liege in Belgium, at the College of Europe, at the University of Lille in France, and at the International Economic Law Programmes of the University of Barcelona. He is qualified at the Brussels Bar. He holds a PhD from Brussels University and has studied in Brussels and New York.

He is listed in the following guides

•  The “Guide to the World’s Leading International Trade Lawyers” since 2009.
• Who’s Who of Trade and Customs Lawyers since 2011.
• Legal 500, “Leading Lawyer 100 – International Trade Law”
• Chambers since 2014 “Clients commend Appleton Luff’s David Luff as ‘extremely knowledgeable about EU trade laws,’and praise his profound understanding of the issues surrounding their legal requirements. He represents an eclectic range of international clients in EU proceedings”

Education

PhD in Law, Free University of Brussels (ULB), June 2003

Masters in Public Administration, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, New York, USA, June 1995 (consistently ranked No 1 public administration programme in the United States)

LL.M. in Public International Law, Free University of Brussels (ULB), June 1993 (Two-year graduate degree pursued while working full-time as an attorney)

Licence en Droit (Law Degree), June 1991

Languages

English, French, Italian and Spanish

Countries of Professional Experience

Europe : Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, United Kingdom, Poland, Lithuania, Romania, Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, FYROM, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, Russia

Asia : Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Singapore, China, Japan, Korea, Philippines, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Syria, Uzbekistan

Africa : South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho, Mozambique, Botswana, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, Comores, Seychelles, Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Cameroon, Sao Tome & Principe, Central African Republic, Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Senegal, Cape Verde, Mauritania

America : United States, Canada, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Haïtii, Barbados, St Lucia, Dominican Republic, Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Curacao.

Oceania : Australia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga, New Caledonia, Wallis & Futuna, French Polynesia.

Present Position

Partner, Appleton Luff – International Lawyers

Visiting Professor, Collège of Europe

Visiting Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Lille

Visiting Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Barcelona

Associate Professor of International Trade Law, Liège University

Membership of Professional Bodies:

Brussels Bar (Ordre français des avocats du Barreau de Bruxelles),

European Trade Law Association (ETLA),

Europe Tribune (EU-China Issues): Member of the Editorial Board,

Review Committee, Revue Québecoise de droit international,

Observatoire de l’Intégration Economique, Faculté de droit, Université de Montréal

Other Positions

Visiting Professor, MGIMO University, Moscow

Guest Professor, University Bocconi, Milan, Italy

Guest Professor, Università di Sassari, Italy

Employment History:

Languages

English, French, Italian and Spanish

Books

“Le droit de l’Organisation mondiale du commerce. Analyse critique” (the Law of the World Trade Organisation. Critical Analysis)

Co-editor, “The WTO and Global Convergence in Telecommunications and Audio-Visual Services”

Articles in International Academic Journals & Contributions to Academic Collections

•  “Convergence: A buzzword to remain?” in M. Burri and T. Cottier, “Trade Governance in the Digital Age”, Cambridge University Press, 2012, pp. 65-91;
• “Trade Law Implications of Procurement Practices in Sustainable Energy Goods and Services” with Alan Hervé, ICTSD, Geneva, 2012;
•  “Addressing the Implementation of Prefential Trade Agreements. The Law and Pratice of the European Union”, Inter-American Development Bank, Policy Brief, No IDB-PB-126, 2011
• “Le droit des communications électroniques”, International Law Collection, Lexis Nexis, 5, Fasc. 130-60, 2009.
•  “The EC Regime for Imports of Fruits and Vegetables” in “Agriculture in WTO Law”, Cameron May, London, 2005;
•  “Telecommunications and Audio-visual Services: Considerations for a Convergence Policy at the WTO Level”, Journal of World Trade, vol. 38, No 6, 2004, pp. 1059 to 1086;
•  “The Legal Implications of EU Enlargement on the EU’s External Trade Policy”, ERA Forum, No 3, 2004, pp. 380 to 408, with Margareta Djordjevic;
•  “Current International Trade Rules Relevant to Telecommunications Services” in “The WTO and Global Convergence in Telecommunications and Audio-Visual Services“, 2004, Cambridge University Press, pp. 34 to 51;

? “International Regulation of Audiovisual Services: Networks, Assignment of Scarce Resources and Terminal Equipment” in “The WTO and Global Convergence in Telecommunications and Audio-Visual Services“, 2004, Cambridge University Press, pp. 243 to 275;

•  “Regulation of Health Services and International Trade Law”, in A. Mattoo & P. Sauvé (eds), Domestic Regulation & Services Trade Liberalisation, The World Bank / Oxford University Press, Washington DC, 2003, pp. 191 to 221;
•  “Considérations sur l’effet des règles de l’OMC dans les ordres juridiques belges et communautaires“, Contribution to the 2002 Congress of the Academy of International Comparative Law, Brisbane, Australia, July 2002, published by Bruylant, Brussels, 2002, pp. 671-770;
•  “International Trade Law Aspects of the Regulation of Broadband”, Special issue of the Journal of Network Industries (JONI), July 2002, containing the proceedings of the ITU workshop on Broadband Regulation, pp. 239 to 271;
• “International Regulation of Postal Services: UPU vs. WTO rules”, in The Liberalisation of Postal Services in the European Union, Kluwer Law International, 2002, pp. 39 to 91;
• “Multilateral Trade Issues and Liberalisation: Current and Future Perspectives”, in D. Géradin (Ed) The Liberalisation of State Monopolies in the European Union and Beyond, Kluwer Law International, 1999, pp. 331-358;
• “L’embargo et le droit de l’Union Européenne”, in L’embargo, International Symposium, European Society for Banking and Financial Law, Bruylant, Brussels, 1996, pp. 87-121, with Lucette Defalque;
• “The Trade Barriers Regulation and the Community’s Market Access Policy”, European Foreign Affairs Review, 1996, 2, pp. 211-231, with Paulette Vander Schueren;
•  “An Overview of The International Law of Sustainable Development and a Confrontation Between WTO Rules and Sustainable Development”, Belgian Review of International Law, 1996, pp. 90-144.

Commissioned Studies Published

• MUTRAP, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam, Manual, “Overview of the Trade Policy of the European Union and its Aid for Trade Strategy”, April 2014
• ITC (UNCTAD/WTO), « Module de formation sur les accords de partenariat économique (APE) », November 2013
•   ITC (UNCTAD/WTO), « Examen des enjeux du commerce international pour le secteur privé en Afrique de l’Ouest et recommandations pour l’approfondissement du dialogue public-prive au niveau regional », mars 2010.
• ITC (UNCTAD/WTO), « Examen des enjeux du commerce international pour le secteur privé en Afrique centrale et recommandations pour l’approfondissement du dialogue public-prive au niveau regional », mars 2010.
•   European Commission and Overseas Countries and Territories Association, “The Analysis of the Regional Economic Integration Processes (Caribbean, Pacific and Indian Ocean) and recommendations aiming at enhancing trade and economic activity of OCTs within their region and with the EC”, January 2010.
•  MUTRAP, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam, “Supporting Vietnam’s Participation in the Doha Development Round, Trade in Services and the Institutional and Developmental Aspects of Negotiations”, October 2009.
•  MUTRAP, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam, “Making Vietnamese Trade Related Laws Fully Compatible with International Obligations”, November 2009.
•  Commonwealth Secretariat, “Evaluation of Commonwealth Secretariat Assistance to Member States in Trade Law”, December 2008.
•  European Commission, “Needs Assessment for Trade Related Assistance in Vietnam in the Period 2007 – 2012”, October 2005.
•  International Lawyers and Economists against Poverty, “Study on the development of African countries’ opportunities in international trade, and their gradual capacity to take fully advantage of their rights under WTO Law”, October 2004.

Book Reviews

•  “Liberalizing International Trade After Doha. Multilateral, Plurilateral and Unilateral Initiatives”, by David A. Gantz. [Cambridge International Trade and Economic Law. 2013], IntTLR, 2014, issue 4.
•  “Basic Legal Instruments for the Liberalisation of Trade. A Comparative Analysis of EC and WTO Law”, by Federico Ortino, E.L. Rev., vol. 30, 2005, pp. 156 to 161.
•   “State Trading in the Twenty-First Century”, Thomas Cottier and Petros C. Mavroidis (Eds), Krista Nadavukaren Schefer (Associate Ed), 3 JIEL 2 (2000) and 1 JONI 1 (2000);

Other Contributions

•  European Law Students Association, Why organizing a WTO Moot Court competition in 2010? – A Trade Lawyer’s view, in Synergy, March 2010.
•  “Legal Aspects of Business Development in Europe and India: Business Law and Litigation”, in Doing Business With Europe. Collection of Articles Referring to the Economic and Legal Environment of Business Between India and Europe, Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Paris, 2004.
•  “WTO and China: Being in the know at the World Trade Organisation”, Europe Tribune, Vol. 1, n°1, 2003.
•   “L’OMC et l’Union européenne“, printed version of the course given at the Annual Professional Educational Programme of the Conference of French and German speaking Bars of Belgium, October – November 2001.

Teaching and Academix Assignments (by reverse chronological order)

•  Visiting Professor, University of Lille, Faculty of Law, Course on “The World Trade Organisation and Trade Remedies”, as of academic year 2004-2005; and Course on “The Enterprise, the Single Market and External relations”, as of academic year 2015-2016;
• Visiting Professor, Barcelona University, LLM International Economic Law and Policy (IELPO), course on “African Regionalism”, as from academic years 2010-2011 and course on “Practical Tools for Policy Modelling and Legal Foundations to Negotiate Trade Agreements”, as from academic year 2012 – 2013;
•  Visiting Professor, College of Europe, Course on “EU Trade Policy and WTO Law”, as of academic year 2007-2008;
•  Guest Professor, University of Sassari, Italy Course on WTO Law, May-June 2012; May-June 2014 and forthcoming;
•  Guest Professor, Bocconi University, Milano, Italy, Courses and research on International and European Law, academic year 2007-2008;
• ?Guest Professor, European Studies Institute, Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO University), Full course on WTO Law, March 2008, May 2009, May 2010, May-June 2011;
• Guest Professor, University of Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique, Faculty of Law, Course on “Trade in goods Regulation” and “Trade Remedies”, Master in International Commercial Law, as of academic year 2003-2004;
• Assistant Professor, Brussels’ University (ULB): Teaching and training students on a course “Introduction to law and legal methodology”, academic years 1998 to 2008;
• Guest Professor, Università Cattaneo in Castellanza, Italy, Course on “Regulation and Economics of the Global Market”, November – December 2003;
• Assistant Professor, Liège University (ULG): Training students on a course “English Legal Terminology” (2000 – 2002) Research on the International Law of Telecommunications and Multimedia, as of academic year 2000 – 2001 Member of the Research Group on Network Industries at the Institute of European Legal Studies;

Training Assignments (selection - by reverse chronological order)

• Trainer, College of Europe, Bruges, Training Programme on the WTO Law and Legal Aspect of Trade Policy for Officials of the European Commission, Directorate General for Trade, since September 2003;
• Coordinator and trainer, College of Europe, Executive Education Programme on Trade Policy, since 2013;
• Trainer, College of Europe, Bruges, Summer Intensive Seminars on Trade Law at the College’s summer school, since 2012;
• Trainer, College of Europe, Bruges, Training Programme on the WTO Law and Legal Aspect of Trade Policy for Officials of the European Commission, Directorate General for Health, January and June 2014;
• Trainer, College of Europe, Bruges, regular custom-made training courses on trade law and the EU trade policy for officials and diplomats of third countries, since 2003;
• Trainer, International Development Law Organisation, workshop on the Agreement on Agriculture and the Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, under the auspices of the World Trade Organisation, Kampala, Uganda, 11 and 12 November 2004;
• Training course, “WTO Dispute Settlement” to Chinese Officials of Guangxi Provincial Government of China, November 2003;
• Training Course on Market Access in WTO Law to trade officials from Kirghizstan, Kazakhstan and Ukraine, organized by the World Trade Institute, November 2003;
• Lecturer, Siena University, Italy: training course, in Italian, on WTO Law to PhD students, Doctoral Programme of International Law and Economics, June 2003;
• Lecturer, South-East China University, Shanghai, Wuhan and Chongqing, China: “EC’s implementation of WTO Law”, series of lectures given in the context of the “Top Level Class Program of Legal Applications of China’s Accession to WTO”, organised by the Chinese Ministry of Justice and State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, March 2003;
• Trainer, French and German speaking Bars, Belgium: “L’OMC et l’Union européenne”, course given at the Annual Professional Educational Programme of the Conference of French and German speaking Bars of Belgium, October – November 2001;
• Lecturer, Management Development Institute, New Delhi, India: Three-days seminar on “European Business Law and Market Access” to Indian senior policy-makers and businessmen, October 2001;
• Lecturer, the World Trade Institute “International trade law of telecommunications”, one-week seminar to the students of the Master of International Law and Economics, the World Trade Institute, Bern, March 2001;
• Lecturer, National University of Vietnam, Hanoi, Vietnam: Taught a course in Public and Commercial European Law to 200 law students at the National University of Vietnam Advice to the Vietnamese government on trade law and European trade policy, November 1996 – January 1997

Public Speaking (selection - by reverse chronological order)

• Speaker, “Enjeux de la coopération commerciale Asie-Afrique-Union européenne », at a Regional multistakeholders consultations of Francophone countries in preparation for the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference, Hanoi, Vietnam, 1 December 2015
• Speaker , « Préparation des pays francophones d’Afrique à la 10è Conférence Ministérielle de l’OMC », Conakry, Guinée, 26 November 2015
•  Speaker,”Stratégies et enjeux de l’usage des instruments de défense commerciale”, Alger, Ministry of Trade, 29 september 2015
• Speaker, “International experience in trade liberalization negotiation for environmental goods and services: Lesson learnt and options for Viet Nam”, EU-MUTRAP, Ho Chi Minh City, 14 September 2015
•  Speaker, «Maîtriser la globalisation des affaires est possible, quelles que soient la taille de votre entreprise et de votre secteur » , BECI Export Day, Chambre de Commerce de Bruxelles, 29 May 2015
•  Member, Geneva Dialogue on Trade in Sustainable Energy Services and Goods, Chatham House and ICTSD, 2013-2015
•  Speaker, « Le marché unique : des espaces économiques nationaux au sein d’un commerce mondialisé », International Conference, « L’Union Européenne : les Etats-Unis ou la persistance des souverainismes », University of Lille, 11 and 12 April 2013
• Speaker, Comments on the EU’s trade policy in “The Neighbours of the EU’s Neighbours: Political, Legal, Security and Socio-Economic Challenges beyond the ENP” organized by the College of Europe on 21-22 March in Bruges, Belgium, 21 March 2013
•  Speaker, le Droit de l’Organisation Mondiale du Commerce, Academic Conference, University of Lille, 31 March 2012
•  Speaker, “Three years of Vietnam’s participation in the World Trade Organisation”, Vietnam’s Diplomatic Academy, 12 October 2010
• Speaker, “Old and New Buzzwords in the Digital Trade Discourse – Convergence” In the context of the 2010 Edition of the World Trade Forum, organized by the World Trade Institute, dedicated to Trade Governance in the Digital Age, 3 September 2010
•  Speaker,”Droit le l’OMC et OGM : Quelle alchimie entre le principe de précaution et le principe de cohérence ?, VIIè Colloque annuel du réseau francophone de droit international, « Le droit de l’OMC à l’épreuve des OGM », Montréal, Canada, 8 May 2010
• Speaker, “The Implementation of Preferential Trade Agreements: the experience of the EU”, in the context of a workshop on “Implementing Free Trade Agreements in Latin America: Lessons and Challenges”, organized by the Inter American Development Bank, Washington DC, 7 April 2010
• Speaker and Chair of Session, “Legal Aspects in EPA Services Trade Negotiations” and “Other Legal Aspects of EPAs”, in the context of a “Seminar on Legal aspects of trade policy, regional and multilateral trade negotiations for SADC EPA States”, Johannesburg, 18-22 May 2009
• Acted as Scientific Advisor during the first regional sensitization workshop for Members of Parliaments of Central African countries on International Trade Agreements and Economic Partnership Agreements Bangui (Central African Republic) 12, 13 and 14 January 2009, at the National Assembly, under the High Patronage of the President of the Republic, Chief of State, current President of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa
• “Public-Private Dialogue on the International Trading System Empowering Business for Advocacy in the New International Trading System”, presentation on the best practices of public-private dialogue mechanisms with respect to international trade negotiations, Monrovia, Liberia, 8 September 2008
• “Non-tariff barriers to trade in the context of the EU’s Stabilisation and Partnership Process with South Balkan countries”, presentation and participation in a Business Forum for the EU and Eastern Europe convened by the support of the Government of Slovenia, Slovenia’s Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the International Trade Centre, 26 and 27 June 2008
• Participation to an expert meeting at the University of Paris I-Panthéon-Sorbonne on 16 and 17 June, on the impact of World Trade Organization (WTO) law on the right to food Presentation on “Non-tariff barriers to access the market of developed countries and the strengthening of producers’ capacities in developing countries”
• Speaker, “Azerbaijan’s Opportunities in International Trade Taking Advantage of he WTO”, Fostering Trade through Public-Private Dialogue, RoundTable on the Business Implications and WTO Accession, Baku, Azerbaijan, 14 May 2008
• Speaker, “The Trade Protocol of the Southern African Development Community – shortcomings and perspectives”, First International Conference on Regional Integration Issues and SADC Law, Maputo, Mozambique, 23-25 April 2008
• Presentation on the Services Aspects of the EU /CARIFORUM Economic Partnership Agreement at a Pro€Invest Workshop on the “Economic Partnership Agreements and Regional Integration Establishing a Competitive Private Sector”, Port-au-Prince, Haïti, 24-25 January 2008
• Speaker, Eastern and Southern African Management Institute (EASMI), “Aid for Trade and Capacity-Building Needs”, Trade Policy Training Centre (TRAPCA) Second Annual Conference, “Multilateral, Regional and Bilateral Trade Agreements: Emerging Scenarios and Challenges for African and Least-Developed Countries”, Swaziland, 5-8 November 2007;
• Speaker, Università Bocconi, Milano, “Trade Related Technical Assistance – issues and challenges”, Doctoral studies in International Law, 19 March 2007;
• “The Use of Anti-dumping and Countervailing Duty Measures Against Vietnamese Textile and Footwear Exports After WTO Accession Lessons Drawn from Vietnamese and Regional Experiences for Shaping Business Strategies”, presentation in the workshop “ Implications of WTO Accession for the Textile & Clothing and the Shoe Sectors in the Ho Chi Minh City Region”, Hô Chi Minh City, 15 and 16 March 2007
• Speaker, the World Economic Forum, “Legal issues in relation to international Trade negotiations” Programme for young professionals of the WEC, May 2006
• Co-Organiser and speaker, “Public Policy and WTO Law: Regulating Globalisation”, international workshop under the auspices of The Institute of European Legal Studies of the University of Liège and the Institute of International Law of the University of Leuven, 24-25 February 2005;
• Speaker, “The legal implications of the EU enlargement on the EC’s external trade policy”, seminar organised by ERA (Academy of European Law in Trier) on the legal implications of the EU enlargement, Trier, 26-27 April 2004;
• Speaker, “Legal aspects of international strategies for bilateral and multilateral trade negotiations”, multinational workshop organised by International Lawyers against Poverty and the World Bank, Nairobi, Kenya, 15-20 March 2004;
• Speaker and chair of session, “Legal Issues in Agricultural Trade”, international conference organised by ERA (Academy of European Law in Trier) and O’Connor and Company – European Lawyers, 23 October 2003;
• Speaker, Second Workshop jointly hosted by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (seco) and the World Trade Institute (WTI), July 3rd and 4th, 2003 Presentation on Postal Services Negotiations within the WTO/GATS framework;
• “The WTO and Consumer Protection in the Fields of Food Security and Public Health”, paper delivered in the context of the International Symposium on Food Security, organised by the “Pôle européen Jean Monnet”, the “Centre Bigwood sur l’Alimentation, la Consommation et la Santé Publique” (Brussels University) and the “Observatoire sur la consommation et les questions alimentaires”, Brussels, 5-6 December 2002;
• Speaker, “Recent developments in the application of the WTO Antidumping Agreement”, top level conference given in Dakar, Senegal, 11-13 March 2002, workshop organised by the Islamic Development Bank;
• “Domestic Regulation of Health Services and the WTO”, paper delivered at the OECD, Paris, 5 March 2002 in the context of the third “Trade in Services Experts Meeting”, World Bank / OECD (available at www1worldbankorg/wbiep/trade/services/OECD_Papershtm);
• Co-organisaser and speaker, “Telecommunications and Audiovisual Services in the Context of the WTO, Today and Tomorrow”, international workshop under the auspices of The Institute of European Legal Studies of the University of Liège, held in the WTO, Geneva, on 21-22 November 2001;
• “International Regulation of Audiovisual Services: Networks, Frequency Allocation and Terminal Equipment”, paper delivered in the context of the above WTO Conference;
• “WTO Aspects of the Liberalisation of Public Monopolies”, paper delivered at a Conference on Competition, Liberalisation and State Monopolies organised by the Liège Institute of European Studies on 6 November 1998