Global trade and investment are increasingly affected by unilateral policies motivated by both economic and non-economic objectives ranging from national and economic security to protecting workers and the environment, combatting climate change, and promoting social values. The 2023 edition of the annual World Trade Forum, a joint venture of the Global Governance Programme of the Robert Schuman Centre and the World Trade Institute, University of Bern, will focus on the use of trade policies to pursue non-economic goals and recent developments and prospects for sustaining multilateral trade cooperation in a world characterised by rising geopolitical and geo-economic rivalry and existential threats.
As in previous iterations, the conference will bring together researchers and practitioners working in the area of trade and development, with a mix of plenary panel discussions and presentations of research. Subjects that will be addressed include trade and democracy, developments in the area of international dispute settlement, addressing environmental challenges in times of geopolitical tensions, the impact of sanctions on supply chains, making trade & investment policy more inclusive, digital trade policies, data regulation and trade in services, the design and effects of sustainability standards and supply chain due diligence requirements, evidence on the effectiveness of pursuing non-economic objectives through trade agreements, and research on trade and development in Africa and Least Developed Countries.
Attendance at the conference in-person is by invitation only.
The plenary sessions of the event will be live-streamed.
13 October, 2023
9:15 - 11:00 | Plenary I | Non-economic objectives, trade & globalisation
14:00 - 15:30 | Plenary II | Balancing trade and non-trade concerns? Environmental challenges in times of geopolitical tensions
17:30 - 18:30 | Plenary III | Sustainability standards, supply chain due diligence and developing countries
14 October, 2023
11:30 - 13:00 | Plenary IV: Managing trade cooperation in uncertain times