26 - 27 March 2012
Salle XVI, Palais des Nations
Geneva
, Switzerland
Registration
If you require a ground pass to enter into the UN premises, please register by sending the Conference Registration Form by e-mail to: TAB@unctad.org
Welcoming message from Director Guillermo Valles (Division on International Trade): http://youtu.be/CV0BFxlg9ow
This two-day event brings together trade policymakers, the business representatives, civil society, leading scholars and opinion leaders to clarify the role of the government in achieving inclusive development through trade in face of the "new realities" in international trade.
Background
Trade policy in the past evolved around the improvement of market access opportunities. Tariff barriers have been successively lowered and trade-distorting subsidies curtailed. International trade today is much more liberalized and globalized than three decades ago.
Now trade policymakers face a paradox. Globalized trade blurs the scope of today´s trade policy. On the one hand, successive trade liberalization has reduced the number of available trade-policy instruments. On the other hand, the focus of trade liberalization is shifted to reduction of non-tariff measures that involve regulatory frameworks in areas beyond the capacity of trade policymakers, such as food safety, the environment, competition policy, and labor policy. Further, globalized trade has so far failed to reduce income inequality within and between countries. We see the contrary.
This paradox is exacerbated by the shaky landscape of today´s international economy. The fiscal crisis in Europe, stern economic conditions in developed countries and exchange rate instability and misalignment intensify uncertainty over the future international trade flows. Ambiguity looms over the future of the multilateral trade regime, while the spaghetti bowl of RTAs gets bigger and its contents thicker.
The new realities call for redefining the scope of the government´s trade policy and trade policymaking processes.
Structure of Policy Dialogue
The key issues for discussion are divided into four sessions:
- Redefining the role of trade policy for inclusive growth in the 21st century economy
- The government and the business sector in trade policymaking
- Inclusive" trade policymaking process
- 21st century international trade agenda
- Partnership for inclusive development through trade
Each session consists of panel discussions followed by interactive debate among all participants. The fifth session concludes the debate.
Expected outcome / Deliverables
The Chair´s summary of the policy dialogue will be presented to the Ministers at the UNCTAD XIII in Doha, Qatar (April 2012), particularly with regards to Roundtable 3.
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Videos on YouTube
Monday, 26 March 2012
Opening:
Session 1: Trade policy for inclusive growth in the twenty-first century economy
Session 2: The government and the business sector in trade policymaking
Tuesday, 27 March 2012Session 3: An inclusive process for trade policymaking
Session 4: Twenty-first century trade agenda
Language(s)
English | English |
Contact
Ms. Miho Shirotori
T.: +41 22 917 5556
F.: +41 22 917 0044
E.: miho.shirotori@unctad.org
Ms. Jenifer Tacardon
T.: +41 22 917 4644
E.: jenifer.tacardon@unctad.org
T.: +41 22 917 5556
F.: +41 22 917 0044
E.: miho.shirotori@unctad.org
Ms. Jenifer Tacardon
T.: +41 22 917 4644
E.: jenifer.tacardon@unctad.org
