Energy services and competition policies under WTO law

Trade in energy and energy services was not a focus of international trade law until recently. This was due, in part, to the high government ownership rate in energy companies, which frequently enjoyed the monopoly rights. Liberalisation of the energy industry in a number of countries together with the increasing number of oil producing countries joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) have changed the landscape and reinforced the need to address a sector which in many countries is still characterised by inefficient monopolies, waste and high levels of subsidization. Energy security concerns, the challenges of climate change and efficient use of energy set the scene for the complex multilateral negotiations.