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The World Trade System after COVID-19: Pathways towards welfare-oriented trade policy

24-25 September 2020
Duisburg

Conference language: English

The world trade system was already in deep crisis before the coronavirus pandemic. Key elements of this system risked being eroded by geopolitical power struggles and protectionist foreign trade strategies. COVID-19 has exposed a further weakness of global trade liberalisation: the crisis vulnerability of a world economy structured on a division of labour and global supply chains.

The International sef: Expert Workshop 2020 aims to draw lessons from the flaws that the coronavirus pandemic has exposed. What action is needed to make the world trade system more resilient and sustainable? How can vulnerability in global supply chains be reduced? What might a cooperative system for the fair distribution of critical goods look like? Which stakeholders and alliances will play the key role in shaping the future world trade system?

If you are interested in participating, please send a message (indicating your professional background) to roth(at)sef-bonn.org.

Video Clips

Anabel González on why we need global trade cooperation and how it could work

Thomas Panzer on achieving more resilience in global supply chains

Bernard Hoekman on inequality and COVID-19

Nazneen Ahmed on the consequences of COVID-19 for the readymade garment workers in Bangladesh

Eva-Maria Reinwald on the advantages of mandatory rules in the field of business and human rights

Simon Evenett on the sourcing of personal protective equipment and the assumed dependence on China

Willy Alfaro on the importance of transparency in global trade and WTO’s role

Amrita Narlikar on the consequences of “weaponised interdependence” in the COVID-19 pandemic

Amrita Narlikar on trade as an easy scapegoat for the negative consequences of globalisation