"DISSETTLE will train a cohort of economists and lawyers to work together on dispute resolution. It will focus on the disputes under the WTO Agreements, but will also deal with regional and bilateral trade agreements. It will bring together the European institutions that have pioneered interdisciplinary work on economics and law, and benefit from the experience of competition law, where collaboration between economists and legal experts is well-established. Training of ESRs and ERs will be carried out through a mix of activities at individual nodes and network-wide activities, including internships in private sector companies and international organisations, conferences, summer schools, workshops and complementary skills training. Participation of the WTO, law firms and consultancies will guarantee that research and the training are practical and interdisciplinary. Together the institutions and experts in the network will train a new cohort of legal and economic experts on economics in international trade law.The resolution of international trade disputes is of particular importance to the EU. 37% of the complaints filed at the WTO have involved the EU as the complaining or defending party, and the EU is now negotiating more bilateral, regional and multilateral trade agreements than ever before. America has already recognized the growing importance of international trade law. The American Law Institute has launched an ambitious project bringing together economists and lawyers to develop proposals to reform the WTO Agreement. Europe does not have such a critical mass of expertise, even though this area is vital to its economic interests. The proposed network, anchored by strong nodes in Brussels and Geneva, will help create the expertise that Europe needs."