Jan Tumlir Lecture - Does the Trading System Have a Future?

Where is globalization heading? What happened to the idea of global free trade? The multilateral trading system is in crisis. The Doha Round of trade negotiations has been a disappointment. Bilateral and regional trade agreements have grown more popular, but they reintroduce discrimination through the back door and seldom substantially liberalize trade. Both in the developed and in the developing world, protectionism is on the rise, and support for globalization waning. What impact do these developments have on the world trading system? Does the trading system have a future?

We are very honoured to have Martin Wolf as the first lecturer in this first ECIPE Jan Tumlir Lecture. Martin Wolf, the Chief Economics Commentator and Associate Editor of Financial Times, is a leading thinker and commentator on matters concerning the world economy. He is author of Why Globalization Works (Yale University Press, 2004). Martin Wolf’s speech will be followed by comments from Professor Patrick Messerlin, from Sciences Po in Paris, and Chairman of ECIPE’s Steering Committee.

This lecture is a first in a series dedicated to Jan Tumlir. Tumlir was the GATT’s first head of research and acted as its in-house philosopher. He was among the pioneering political and economic thinkers linking a domestic liberal order based on democratic constitutionalism and the rule of law with the existence of an open non-discriminatory international economic order. His ideas are very influential in international economic policy circles and have shaped reforms in countries ranging from Chile to New Zealand. ECIPE dedicates its influential series of policy essays to Jan Tumlir.

You are cordially invited to attend this lecture and the drinks reception that follows.

Limited space available.

17.00     Welcoming Remarks, Fredrik Erixon Director, ECIPE

18.00     Comments and Discussion, Patrick Messerlin, Professor, GEM Sciences Po, and Chairman of ECIPE’s Steering                 Committee

18.15     Open discussion

19.00     Cocktail Reception