Trade and Sustainable Development Symposium

Trade policy has emerged as one of the most contested policy fields during Germany’s G20 presidency. Given the recent spat on trade between the US and a number of G20 countries including the German chair the respective section in the communiqué of the Hamburg Summit is surprisingly strong emphasising the importance of a rules-based international trading system including effective rules’ enforcement within the World Trade Organization. The G20, furthermore, commits to promote social and environmental standards and human rights in global value chains. Reading between the lines, though, some differences are still visible. For example, the G20 in Hamburg commits to “fight protectionism including all unfair trade practices” while recognising “legitimate trade defence instruments”. Against this background, this panel discussion reflects on the outcomes of the Hamburg Summit, its implications for the MC11 in Buenos Aires and Argentina’s G20 presidency.

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