New round of Global Dialogue on Trade debates launches

International Chamber of Commerce Secretary General John W.H. Denton today launched a new round of debates on the Global Dialogue on Trade platform, the only digitally enabled dialogue among leaders from government, academia, and business to discuss and debate the future of the international trade system.

As with the first round of debates, these new themes will help guide participants toward the creation of a trusted model of open trade and free enterprise that will work for everyone, every day, everywhere.

Launched today in Tokyo during an international symposium on global trade, hosted by the International Chamber of Commerce and the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) the new round of debates will explore the importance of dispute resolution, non-tariff barriers, and the moratorium on electronic transmissions, seeking input on the questions:

How can we improve the dispute resolution process including through consultation and mediation?
What are the effects of non-tariff barriers on trade today?
How can we preserve and strengthen the duty moratorium on electronic transmissions?

The Global Dialogue on Trade, launched in October 2018 by Mr Denton and World Trade Organization Secretary General Roberto Azevedo, facilitates a collaborative and inclusive approach to reforming the WTO opening discussions to a full range of stakeholders, particularly business—the users of the rules-based multilateral trading system.

The first round of debates analysed several themes in today’s global trade system, including the rise of technology, government regulations, and trade tensions between global economies. The results from the first round of debates are being formulated into a set of concrete recommendations for policymakers and will be made available on the ICC website.

The first round of the Global Dialogue on Trade culminated in Tokyo, where ICC and JETRO) gathered leaders from government academia and business as part of the platform’s first ever international symposium. The symposium featured a combination of panels, keynote speeches and interactive sessions, offering participants the opportunity to consider new approaches to the facilitation of global trade.

Prior to the launch of the Global Dialogue on Trade in 2018, ICC received over 75 suggested themes for the first round of debate. Submissions demonstrated that despite overall gains in the past century, benefits of trade have not equally impacted all areas of the global economy. Now, more than ever, the international trade system needs to be reformed to be fit-for-purpose in the 21st Century.

In the coming weeks, the new topics of debate will be posted to the Global Dialogue on Trade platform, where participants will have the opportunity to exchange their ideas and solutions. ICC was founded with a mandate to promote peace and prosperity through the international trade. As ICC celebrates its 100th anniversary, the world business organisation will continue to follow this founding mission and bring together policymakers to reform global trade.