A video livestream will be available on this page starting at 11:00 AM on Monday, December 6. Please scroll down to view.
On December 6, AEI’s Neena Shenai and the Brookings Institution’s Joshua P. Meltzer hosted a panel discussion exploring ongoing work at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the current state of US trade policy.
The event began with a conversation with WTO Deputy Director-General Angela Ellard. She affirmed the WTO’s commitment to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, including by combating trade bottlenecks imposed by the crisis and facilitating international negotiations among fisheries. Ms. Ellard also defended the WTO’s consensus-based system, asserting that it strengthens buy-in among members.
The event then transitioned into a larger panel discussion. Georgetown University’s Jennifer A. Hillman praised the Biden administration’s statements regarding trade but noted that its actual plans remain unclear. Gregory Shaffer of the University of California, Irvine, remarked that America’s inability to put forth specific trade proposals undermines its policy aims.
Kathleen Claussen of the University of Miami noted that the tensions of the US-China trade war have been normalized to some extent, and she recommend that the US keep its options open while seeking incremental progress. John K. Veroneau of Covington & Burling LLP hoped that the current administration will reverse recent trade barriers while developing trade policy with like-minded countries.
— John Konicki
International trade and economic policy issues continue to be challenging in the US, from domestic and global standpoints. The Biden administration has attempted to relegate these matters to “second-chair” status behind its domestic priorities. However, this has created an uncertain dynamic in light of the administration’s continuation of many Trump administration trade policies and broader foreign policy approaches. The World Trade Organization (WTO) is also continuing its work, facilitating global trade by providing a forum for international negotiations and disputes.
In this event, experts will discuss the current state of US trade and economic policy, ongoing work at the WTO, and implications for the future.
This program is part of the AEI–Brookings Institution project “Reconceptualizing Globalization,” which brings together distinguished government, academic, and industry leaders to think outside the box and discuss innovative ways to improve the understanding of how globalization affects the United States.
11:00 AM
Introduction:
Neena Shenai, Nonresident Fellow, AEI
11:05 AM
Part I: A conversation with the World Trade Organization’s Angela Ellard
Panelists:
Angela Ellard, Deputy Director-General, World Trade Organization
Joshua P. Meltzer, Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution
Neena Shenai, Nonresident Fellow, AEI
11:35 AM
Part II: Strategic reengagement or drift? Assessing US trade policy one year into the Biden administration
Panelists:
Kathleen Claussen, Associate Professor of Law, University of Miami
Jennifer A. Hillman, Professor of Practice, Georgetown University
Gregory Shaffer, Chancellor’s Professor of Law and Political Science, University of California, Irvine
John K. Veroneau, Senior Counsel, Covington & Burling LLP
Moderators:
Joshua P. Meltzer, Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution
Neena Shenai, Nonresident Fellow, AEI
12:10 PM
Q&A
12:25 PM
Closing remarks:
Joshua P. Meltzer, Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution
12:30 PM
Adjournment
Event: John Konicki | [email protected]
Media: [email protected] | 202.862.5829
Chancellor’s Professor of Law and Political Science
University of California, Irvine
