国际经济法（英文：International Economic Law）一词系由格奥尔格·施瓦岑贝格（Georg Schwarzenberger）于1948年发表于《国际法季刊》（International Law Quarterly）中的「国际经济法之范畴与标准」（The Province and Standards of International Economic Law）一文所正式提出。

然而，对于国际经济法概念与范畴之界定，学者间迄今仍存有争议。在概念之界定上，大致而言，狭义说主张国际经济法属于国际法的分支学科，国际经济法系指规律国际法主体在国际经济关系中之国际法规则。广义说则属于一种「跨国法」（transnational law）的观点，其主张国际经济法为国际法、国内法以外的第三类法域，凡是涉及规律跨国界经贸交流之国内法、国际法与商人法（lex mercatoria or law merchant）规则，均于广义说的国际经济法概念之中。

"International economic law" is an increasingly seminal field of international law that involves the regulation and conduct of states, international organizations, and private firms operating in the international economic arena. As such, international economic law encompasses a broad range of disciplines touching on public international law, private international law, and domestic law applicable to international business transactions.