International Trade Law

International Trade Law

International trade work requires fluency in Nepal’s own trade laws as well as the multilateral and bilateral agreements that shape how goods and services move across its borders. We help clients understand trade law, interpret treaties, negotiate agreements and navigate the dispute mechanisms that apply when trade relationships break down.

The Legal Framework

Domestically, the Export-Import (Control) Act, 2013 (1957) and the Customs Act, 2064 (2007) govern the mechanics of cross-border trade, while the Foreign Trade Policy, 2015 sets the government’s strategic direction, implemented in part through the Nepal Trade Integration Strategy.

Internationally, Nepal was the first least developed country to negotiate accession to the World Trade Organization, making binding commitments across goods, services and intellectual property and restructuring parts of its domestic framework to meet WTO standards. Nepal is also a party to the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA), a member of BIMSTEC and a signatory to the Nepal-India Trade and Transit Treaty, which remains the single most consequential trade arrangement given how heavily Nepal’s trade is concentrated with India.

In practice, a trade matter rarely turns on one statute alone. A single transaction can sit under domestic customs law, a bilateral treaty and WTO commitments at once, and knowing which one controls a given issue is often the difference between a smooth transaction and a costly delay.

What We Do

• Trade law advisory: how Nepal’s trade laws and regulatory requirements apply to a client’s transactions and operations.
• Treaty interpretation: SAFTA, WTO commitments and bilateral arrangements such as the Nepal-India treaty.
• Treaty negotiation: assisting clients and government bodies with the legal and practical side of negotiating trade agreements.
• Trade dispute resolution: advice and representation under domestic law or international trade agreements.

Who We Advise

Foreign companies trading with Nepal, government agencies and international organisations. Our team brings depth in trade law, treaty interpretation, negotiation and dispute resolution, whether the client is a private business handling a single transaction or a public body shaping policy.