This book owes much insight, stimulus and encouragement to many, in all the
years of research, teaching and advisory practice in international economic law.
Colleagues and students alike on both sides of the Atlantic broadened and
deepened the author’s sensitivity for the interplay between international economic
law in the traditional sense and other legal regimes, especially human rights and
environmental law as well as for the balance between universal or regional standards
and proper deference to local or national values in all their diversity.
The same holds true for a leitmotif of the book, the contribution of modern
international economic law to rationality, to the rule of law and other aspects of
‘Good Governance’.
My particular thanks go to present or former research assistants at my chair at the
University of Bonn, in particular to Carsten Kalla, Karoline Büchler and Dr. Nicole
Maldonado. I also thank Florian Kolling, Evin Dalkilic and Dr. Nils Grosche for
valuable research on specific sectors or issues.