Navigating the Legal Environment

Laws governing business activities within and between countries are an integral part of doing business in a global environment. An American company doing business with France has to contend with two jurisdictions (U.S. and France), two tax systems, two legal systems, and a third supernational set of European Union laws and regulations that may override French commercial law. Because no single, uniform international commercial law governing foreign business transactions exists, the international competitor must be aware of the legal requirements of each country. The outcomes for Lesson 9 are to: Categorize the various types of legal systems used throughout the world Compare the methods used in settling global legal disputes Analyze the effect of the United States' laws on global business practices Appraise the types of trade barriers Evaluate the effects of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on global trade Introduction to Legal Systems Global Legal Disputes U.S. Laws Affecting International Business Trade Barriers General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade World Trade Organization North American Free Trade Agreement

Note: This lesson is designed to expose the reader to the vast body of laws and regulations that govern the global environment. Additional sources should be consulted before undertaking an actual importing and exporting program.

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