The Future of Global Trade

The Future of World Trade

The world trade system is in a phase of upheaval and uncertainty. While the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development considers a rule-based and fair multilateral trading system as the basis for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in the World Trade Organization (WTO) the Doha Development Round negotiations are deadlocked. New rules on environmental aspects, investment or digitization are negotiated in plurilateral and regional trade agreements. Increasingly, the legitimacy of independent dispute resolution mechanisms for trade and investment conflicts is questioned. In addition, more and more countries resort to protectionist measures. Against this background, the trade experts at DIE analyse the effectiveness, legitimacy and sustainability of the international trading system. Current research topics include:

Reform options for the international trade and investment regime;
the spread and effectiveness of environmental aspects in free trade agreements;
the impact of economic and political fragmentation and disintegration (e.g., Brexit) on developing countries;
Effects of an international investment facilitation agreement.