Trade Policymakers in Salzburg to Consider New Dynamics in Global Trade Architecture
Salzburg Global program looks at the future of the WTO, G20 and regional trade agreements
The session will be chaired by James Bacchus, who previously chaired 'A Climate for Change: New Thinking on Governance for Sustainability'The World Trade Organization (WTO) managed a last minute deal in Bali, but with “megaregional” trade agreements like the TransPacific Partnership and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership under negotiation, it’s clear that new dynamics are emerging in the global trade architecture and the centrality of the WTO is wavering. On April 30, 50 top-level policy makers and practitioners from across the trade spectrum arrived in Salzburg, Austria to consider the future of global trade at “
New Dynamics in Global Trade Architecture: WTO, G20 and Regional Agreements” (April 30-May 2, 2014).The three-day program will aim to critically assess the Bali WTO summit’s outcomes to identify future options and renew international momentum for the multilateral trading system, as well as analyze the impact of large-scale regional trade agreements on the multilateral trade framework, including the TransPacific Partnership and the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).With Australia hosting the G20 Presidency, particular interest will be paid to what role the country can play in defining a role for the G20 in the global trade landscape. The event will also consider how to engage key countries in the Asia-Pacific Basin and Global South to ensure more inclusive leadership on global trade governance.The program will include government and business leaders involved in large-scale trade deals, including those seeking to secure WTO-level progress; WTO directors at G20 Ministries of Commerce/Trade (with priority placed on the inclusion of middle sized economies concerned about a level global playing field); leading academics and researchers; and representatives from the International Chamber of Commerce.Through expert, interactive panel discussions, together with intensive group work, these high-level participants will formulate a set of recommendations that will be presented by session chair, James Bacchus, at the upcoming OECD Forum in Paris (May 5-6, 2014). This session continues Salzburg Global’s program on sustainable global economy and governance and builds on its 2012 session, “
The Future of the Multilateral Trading System and the WTO”. This session also launches a partnership with the Korean Development Institute’s School of Public Policy and Management and its G20 Global Leadership Program, as it critically examines the WTO’s role in upholding the global public good of multilateral trade and explores how country motivations and trade mechanisms can be better integrated within the WTO architecture for effective programming.
An expanded list of speakers and participants as well as a full program agenda can be found here: www.salzburgglobal.org/go/533 You can follow the three days' discussions on Twitter with the hashtag #SGStrade
