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Public Ownership And The Wto In A Post Covid-19 Era: From Trade Disputes To A 'Social' Function, Paolo Davide Farah, Davide Zoppolato
Public Ownership And The Wto In A Post Covid-19 Era: From Trade Disputes To A 'Social' Function, Paolo Davide Farah, Davide Zoppolato
Articles
Public ownership is closely bound to the need of the government to protect and guarantee the well-being of its citizens. Where the market cannot, or does not want to, provide goods and services, the State uses different tools to intervene, influence, and control some aspects of the private sphere of expression of its citizens in the name and interest of the collectivity. Although, in the past century, this behavior was accepted as one of the expressions of the public authority and part of the social contract, this perception has shifted partially in accordance with the wave of privatization programs initiated …
Shaping New Interregionalism: The Eu-Singapore Free Trade Agreement And Beyond, Pasha L. Hsieh
Shaping New Interregionalism: The Eu-Singapore Free Trade Agreement And Beyond, Pasha L. Hsieh
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
The article examines the theoretical concept of interregionalism in the context of the evolving framework between the European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). As the EU's first free trade agreement (FTA) with an ASEAN country, the EU-Singapore FTA is a pathfinder agreement that signifies a new phase of interregionalism and the EU's new Asia strategy after the Treaty of Lisbon. The article argues that the innovative designs of the EU-Singapore FTA will shape the normative development of EU-ASEAN relations in the post-pandemic era. It also cautions that a comparative analysis of EU and US agreements …
A Chinese Perspective, Henry S. Gao
A Chinese Perspective, Henry S. Gao
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
Many factors have been driving regional economic integration in the Asia-Pacific in the past two decades, but the main driving force in the past decade has been the strategic competition between the two biggest powers in the region — the United States and China. This paper discusses the Chinese perspective of how the US-China strategic competition has shaped regional economic cooperation, along with the disruptions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. It concludes with some thoughts on post-pandemic economic cooperation in the region.
Gauging The Acceptance Of Contact Tracing Technology: An Empirical Study Of Singapore Residents’ Concerns With Sharing Their Information And Willingness To Trust, Ee-Ing Ong, Wee Ling Loo
Gauging The Acceptance Of Contact Tracing Technology: An Empirical Study Of Singapore Residents’ Concerns With Sharing Their Information And Willingness To Trust, Ee-Ing Ong, Wee Ling Loo
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, governments began implementing various forms of contact tracing technology. Singapore’s implementation of its contact tracing technology, TraceTogether, however, was met with significant concern by its population, with regard to privacy and data security. This concern did not fit with the general perception that Singaporeans have a high level of trust in its government. We explore this disconnect, using responses to our survey (conducted pre-COVID-19) in which we asked participants about their level of concern with the government and business collecting certain categories of personal data. The results show that respondents had less concern with …
Can Delaying An Execution Due To Covid-19 Amount To Unconstitutional Discrimination?, Benjamin Joshua Ong
Can Delaying An Execution Due To Covid-19 Amount To Unconstitutional Discrimination?, Benjamin Joshua Ong
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
This note discusses the case of Syed Suhail bin Syed Zin v Attorney-General [2021] 1 SLR 809 (CA); [2021] 4 SLR 698 (HC) and its implications for equality law in Singapore.
Covid-19 And The 2020/21 International Moots Season, Siyuan Chen
Covid-19 And The 2020/21 International Moots Season, Siyuan Chen
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
This is the seventh annual review of Singapore’s performance in international moot court competitions. While the previous season already felt the ravaging effects of the pandemic, it was more of the same this season, although this time round, all the major competitions were prepared to go online.
Covid-19 And The 2020/21 International Moots Season, Siyuan Chen
Covid-19 And The 2020/21 International Moots Season, Siyuan Chen
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
This is the seventh annual review of Singapore’s performance in international moot court competitions. While the previous season already felt the ravaging effects of the pandemic, it was more of the same this season, although this time round, all the major competitions were prepared to go online.
Breaking State-Centric Shackles In The Who: Taiwan As A Catalyst For A New Global Health Order, Ching-Fu Lin, Han-Wei Liu, Chien-Huei Wu
Breaking State-Centric Shackles In The Who: Taiwan As A Catalyst For A New Global Health Order, Ching-Fu Lin, Han-Wei Liu, Chien-Huei Wu
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
After World War II, states established World Health Organization (WHO), recognizing that “the health of all peoples is fundamental to the attainment of peace and security.” This aspiration, embedded in GlobalHealth governance, introduces a paradox vis-à-vis the WHO’s state-centric institutional design. Though Taiwan alerted the WHO to potential human-to-human transmission in the early stage of the pandemic, its participation in the WHO remains limited, contrasting the WHO’s goal of health for all peoples sharply against its outdated emphasis on statehood and power politics.This Essay critically assesses how and why state-centric international health governance neither delivers its goal to “promote and …
Covid-19 And The 2019/20 International Moots Season, Siyuan Chen
Covid-19 And The 2019/20 International Moots Season, Siyuan Chen
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
This is the sixth annual review of Singapore’s performance in notable international moot competitions. This season will of course be known as a highly disrupted one, beginning with the Hong Kong unrest that barred some teams from participating in LAWASIA (for which Singapore has been to the last four championship) and COVID-19 that led to the outright cancellation of various Grand Slam moots including the Jessup, International Criminal Court, and Frankfurt (for which Singapore has regularly featured in the championship). Smaller niche moots, such as the International Maritime Law Arbitration and Private Law competitions, were also not spared and either …
Private Liability For Public Health, Jerrold Soh
Private Liability For Public Health, Jerrold Soh
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
As at this writing, COVID-19 continues to spread around the world. Most disease transmissions, one hopes, are unintentional. But could one nonetheless be liable for unintentionally, yet carelessly, transmitting the disease? If so, when would liability arise, and how wide may its scope be? If X transmits the disease to Y who in turn transmits it to Z, can Z claim against X? If not, why should liability escape one who carelessly spreads a deadly and highly contagious virus when courts have historically found liability for more innocuous harms?154 This short essay discusses how private liability might complement public regulation …
Massive Covid‐19 Infections In Foreign Workers Dormitories: The Dog That Did Not Bark In Singapore’S Fight Against The Covid‐19 Pandemic, Eugene K. B. Tan
Massive Covid‐19 Infections In Foreign Workers Dormitories: The Dog That Did Not Bark In Singapore’S Fight Against The Covid‐19 Pandemic, Eugene K. B. Tan
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
In the ongoing battle to combat the massive COVID-19 infections in the foreign workers’ dormitories, the focus and dominant narrative, unsurprisingly, has been on overcoming the clear and present public health issues there. The imperative is to safeguard the wellbeing and interests of the foreign workers who reside there (and including those who have been moved out), which is also fundamentally about protecting the rest of the community.
Constitutional Literacy In Times Of Crisis, Maartje De Visser
Constitutional Literacy In Times Of Crisis, Maartje De Visser
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
At the same time she announced her withdrawal from public life in 2018, former US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor made a passionate plea for “all citizens to understand our Constitution and unique system of government, and participate actively in their communities.”441 The timing coincided with the halfway mark of Donald Trump’s term in presidency, a president who has very publicly declared his knowledge of the US Constitution, but whose understanding of it has regularly been called into question.442 At its foundation, the democratic legitimacy of a government arguably presupposes a working familiarity with the constitution qua social contract. …
The Ideals Of Law In A Health Crisis: Singapore’S Legislative Responses To Covid‐19, Benjamin Joshua Ong
The Ideals Of Law In A Health Crisis: Singapore’S Legislative Responses To Covid‐19, Benjamin Joshua Ong
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
Situations like the COVID-19 pandemic pose a dilemma. One might argue that such a crisis is a time for people to sacrifice their legal rights for the common good and submit to heavy restrictions on one’s liberties, surrendering individual liberties to a benevolent, though powerful, state. On the other hand, for every situation in history where an emergency has required people to accept such restrictions, there are many more situations in which an unscrupulous government has used a pretend emergency, or a real but exaggerated one, as an excuse to arrogate to himself sweeping arbitrary powers and refuse to let …
Shareholders’ Rights And Corporate Meetings Post Covid‐19, Christopher Chao-Hung Chen
Shareholders’ Rights And Corporate Meetings Post Covid‐19, Christopher Chao-Hung Chen
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
This short paper reflects on corporate governance and shareholders’ rights during and following the COVID-19 pandemic. The lockdown has affected the way companies’ organs operate. It is unfortunate that the pandemic took place around the critical time of year when most companies hold annual shareholders’ meetings (or general meetings). How, then, can shareholders exercise their rights? How can the board of directors and senior management function during the lockdown period? Technology naturally provides a solution, similar to online teaching and working from home. However, do virtual and remote meetings serve the purpose of having those meetings? Even when we get …
Pragmatism In The Pandemic: The Protection Of Commercial Tenants In Singapore, Edward Ti
Pragmatism In The Pandemic: The Protection Of Commercial Tenants In Singapore, Edward Ti
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
The COVID-19 epidemic has not spared any country, not least a densely populated country like Singapore. The government has been working tirelessly developing new policies and laws to mitigate the human and economic devastation brought on by the virus. The COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020 (COTMA) is intended to tackle some of the negative effects brought about by COVID-19. With an initial application period of 6 months which can be amended at the Minister’s discretion, the COTMA covers a wide range of issues. Summarily, the COTMA provides for public health controls necessary to manage the health crisis, increases bankruptcy and …
Covid‐19 As A Frustrating Event Under Singapore Contract Law, Yihan Goh
Covid‐19 As A Frustrating Event Under Singapore Contract Law, Yihan Goh
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
COVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact on commercial arrangements around the world. This would appear to fit the textbook definition of a frustrating event under Singapore contract law. Alternatively, one might expect COVID-19 to be covered by the doctrine of force majeure. This commentary will provide a brief overview of the contractual issues arising from COVID-19.
Trading Through A Pandemic: The Singaporean Experience, Henry Gao, Dhiraj G. Chainani, Siu Farn Chew
Trading Through A Pandemic: The Singaporean Experience, Henry Gao, Dhiraj G. Chainani, Siu Farn Chew
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
Being a small country with one of the highest trade-to-GDP ratios in the world, Singapore faced seemingly insurmountable challenges at the onset of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. As countries around the world scrambled to fight the pandemic, they imposed restrictions on exports and imports, suspended international transportation of both goods and people, and invoked emergency power and exceptions to justify their actions. All these presented unprecedented challenges to Singapore, a country which relies on international trade not only for its prosperity but also for survival. This article discusses how Singapore tries to meet these challenges through various initiatives …
Tax Implications Of Covid-19 In Singapore, Vincent Ooi
Tax Implications Of Covid-19 In Singapore, Vincent Ooi
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
As taxpayers in Singapore deal with a radically changed business environment due to COVID-19, there is a need to make non-routine decisions quickly. These decisions can have significant tax implications, which will likely manifest themselves later as the economy recovers. It is critical for taxpayers to understand the tax consequences of their decisions, even as they focus on issues of immediate survival. While the majority of the relevant tax principles are not new, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the need to apply these existing principles to new situations and increased the frequency of certain activities that may have been …
Covid‐19 Crisis And Its Impact On Trustees And Beneficiaries, Man Yip
Covid‐19 Crisis And Its Impact On Trustees And Beneficiaries, Man Yip
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
The COVID-19 pandemic has been described by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong as the “crisis of our generation”. We have to swiftly adjust to a new “normal” characterised by safety measures, travel restrictions, economic downturn and uncertainties in the days ahead. What is the new “normal” for trustees and beneficiaries? How should they respond to the legal and practical uncertainties in these challenging times? This commentary discusses two categories of uncertainties for trustees and beneficiaries: (1) uncertainty relating to trust investments; and (2) uncertainty relating to day-to-day administration.
“In Case Of Emergency, Break Contract”? The Case For A Unified Regime For Changed Circumstances In Singapore Contract Law, Nicholas Liu
“In Case Of Emergency, Break Contract”? The Case For A Unified Regime For Changed Circumstances In Singapore Contract Law, Nicholas Liu
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
It has been accurately observed that the incremental nature of the common law’s development makes it inherently unsuited to dealing with unprecedented crises.208 This is particularly true of what I shall refer to (for convenience) as the law of changed circumstances, which in the common law regime comprises the doctrine of frustration and the operation of force majeure clauses, but could potentially encompass other doctrines and issues as well.209 I suggest that in this area, the flaws of the common law run deeper and broader than its inability to respond quickly to unprecedented crises. Rather, from a lay user’s point …
Hearing Essential And Urgent Court Matters During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kwan Ho Lau, Daryl Xu
Hearing Essential And Urgent Court Matters During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kwan Ho Lau, Daryl Xu
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
This chapter discusses the hearing of essential and urgent court matters in the Singapore courts during the COVID-19 pandemic. On 27 march 2020, the Singapore judiciary notified courst users that remote hearings were to be implemented for certain types of hearings by means of video and telephone conferencing facilities. Court users were also provided with indicative lists of matters which might be considered essential and urgent.
Exorcising The Ghost In The Wills Act, Hang Wu Tang
Exorcising The Ghost In The Wills Act, Hang Wu Tang
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
Ingenious lawyers all over the Commonwealth are dreaming up rigmaroles for the signing of wills amid the pandemic. An English law firm has suggested that the will should be signed at a park bench, with witnesses lurking nearby, ready to rotate around the document. Another option allows for the will to be signed at the person’s doorway while the witnesses stand outside, using the services of a well-trained pet to deliver the signed will to the witnesses. Singapore has passed many sensible temporary measures in response to COVID-19 disruption, including marrying couples remotely so that the newly-weds, witnesses and solemniser …
Ethics, Ai, Mass Data And Pandemic Challenges: Responsible Data Use And Infrastructure Application For Surveillance And Pre-Emptive Tracing Post-Crisis, Mark Findlay, Jia Yuan Loke, Nydia Remolina Leon, Yum Yin, Benjamin (Tan Renyan) Tham
Ethics, Ai, Mass Data And Pandemic Challenges: Responsible Data Use And Infrastructure Application For Surveillance And Pre-Emptive Tracing Post-Crisis, Mark Findlay, Jia Yuan Loke, Nydia Remolina Leon, Yum Yin, Benjamin (Tan Renyan) Tham
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
As the COVID-19 health pandemic rages governments and private companies across the globe are utilising AI-assisted surveillance, reporting, mapping and tracing technologies with the intention of slowing the spread of the virus. These technologies have the capacity to amass personal data and share for community control and citizen safety motivations that empower state agencies and inveigle citizen co-operation which could only be imagined outside such times of real and present danger. While not cavilling with the short-term necessity for these technologies and the data they control, process and share in the health regulation mission, this paper argues that this infrastructure …