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Digital Trade: Challenges and a Way Forward

Picture of the globe with glowing arcs connecting cities

The march of time has greatly transformed global trade. With COVID-19, the digital space has become part of our daily lives, allowing us to safely communicate, work, and conduct business with minimal physical contact. However, the digital economy faces challenges as governments grapple with different approaches to managing it. This panel will discuss obstacles and opportunities for digital trade: Is there a possibility for multilateral or plurilateral consensus on new rules? What do we stand to lose if consensus on a baseline set of rules cannot be achieved? Please watch this panel discussion for a deep dive into this timely issue.

    Trade Policy Priorities through the Eyes of Congressional Democrats

    Event title and date in foreground of a busy trade port

    In substance if not style, the Trump administration’s protectionist trade policies have looked conspicuously like those espoused by congressional Democrats over the past 25 years. Now that Trump has laid bare the economic, social, and geopolitical folly of this approach, Democrats may be ready to begin returning to their pro‐​trade roots. What are the Democrats’ wishes for U.S. trade policy? Are they willing to remind Americans why being for trade is in their best interest? Watch the panel to hear from prominent congressional Democrats about reclaiming Congress’ constitutional authority over trade policy, repealing tariffs, recommitting to multilateralism and the rule of law, and promoting domestic actions that improve American competitiveness.

    Trade Policy in a Biden Administration: Back to Normal, or into the Great Unknown?

    An American flag flies above a port where a container ship is unloading

    Trump’s trade policy team promoted protectionism and unilateralism, undermined the international rule of law, and shifted power from the legislative to the executive branch. The Biden administration will therefore inherit a messy legacy on trade and will have difficult decisions to make going forward. To what extent will it want to, and to what extent can it, return to the trade policy situation that existed prior to Trump? It will take many months to get full answers to these questions, but this event will kick off the discussion of the direction of trade policy in a Biden administration.

    Experts

    Media Name: bacchus-cropped.jpg
    James Bacchus
    Media Name: grabow-cropped.jpg
    Colin Grabow
    Media Name: ikenson.jpg
    Daniel J. Ikenson
    Media Name: slester.jpg
    Simon Lester
    Media Name: lincicome.jpg
    Scott Lincicome
    Media Name: inumanak-cropped.jpg
    Inu Manak

    Subtopics

    • Agriculture
    • Antidumping, CVD, Safeguards
    • General U.S. Trade Policy
    • Globalization, Value Chains, FDI
    • Jones Act
    • Manufacturing and Industrial Policy
    • Services Trade and Non-Tariff Barriers
    • Trade Agreements and the WTO
    • Trade Myths
    • Trade Policy Prescriptions
    • Trade Politics
    • Trade Theory, Philosophy, and Morality
    • Trans-Atlantic Trade
    • Trans-Pacific Trade

    Featured

    Blog

    American Pharmaceutical Resilience

    By Scott Lincicome.

    The United States International Trade Commission’s report illustrates that the pharmaceutical supply chains have fared well so far through the COVID-19 pandemic, and there’s little evidence that government could improve them.

    Blog

    Market Allocation Would Treat COVID-19 Vaccines Like the Valuable Resource They Are

    By Michael F. Cannon.

    Government rationing is slowing the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines by diminishing the incentives for speed and security on the part of manufacturers and retailers. In some, cases it is costing lives by allowing vaccines to spoil.

    Blog

    Creaking Jones Act Ships Turn to Chinese Shipyards for Maintenance Needs

    By Colin Grabow.

    Jones Act ship operators claim the law is needed to thwart China’s maritime ambitions. But it’s unclear how many actually believe such rhetoric given their enthusiasm for using Chinese shipyards.

    Blog

    Will the Post‐​Brexit EU-UK Trade Agreement Limit Regulatory Competition?

    By Simon Lester.

    On Christmas day, the EU and UK released the text of their new Trade and Cooperation Agreement. 

    Blog

    My 2021 Trade Policy Wish List

    By Inu Manak.

    Five practical ideas for trade policy in 2021 that can help ease the economic burden on Americans, repair our fraught relationship with our closest trading partners, and revitalize the rules‐​based trading system.

    Blog

    Will Mexico’s “Kill Switch” Run Afoul of USMCA Digital Trade Rules?

    By Inu Manak and Alfredo Carrillo Obregon.

    A controversial proposal to block foreign providers of digital services from offering their services in Mexico if they fail to comply with Mexico’s digital tax rules has just been signed into law.

    Subtopics

    • Agriculture
    • Antidumping, CVD, Safeguards
    • General U.S. Trade Policy
    • Globalization, Value Chains, FDI
    • Jones Act
    • Manufacturing and Industrial Policy
    • Services Trade and Non-Tariff Barriers
    • Trade Agreements and the WTO
    • Trade Myths
    • Trade Policy Prescriptions
    • Trade Politics
    • Trade Theory, Philosophy, and Morality
    • Trans-Atlantic Trade
    • Trans-Pacific Trade

    Multimedia

    Simon Lester discusses what to expect for a Biden trade policy on WWL’s First News with Tommy Tucker

    Featuring Simon Lester. January 8, 2021.

    Scott Lincicome discusses the Trump tariffs on French goods on NPR’s Morning Edition

    Featuring Scott Lincicome. January 6, 2021.

    Inu Manak discusses U.S.-Canada trade relations on CBC Radio

    Featuring Inu Manak. January 2, 2021.

    Inu Manak participates in the event, “What next for the World Trade Organization?,” hosted by Women In World Trade, New England

    Featuring Inu Manak. December 23, 2020.
    More Multimedia

    Events

    Live Online Policy Forum

    Digital Trade: Challenges and a Way Forward

    December 15, 2020 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM EST
    Live Online

    Featuring Christine Bliss (@cblisscsi), President, Coalition of Services Industries; Stephanie Honey (@StephHoneyTrade), Consultant, Honey Consulting; and Hanna Norberg (@TradeEconomista), Founder, Trade Economista; moderated by Huan Zhu (@HZhu2013), Research Associate, Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, Cato Institute.

    Live Online Policy Forum

    Trade Policy Priorities through the Eyes of Congressional Democrats

    December 2, 2020 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM EST
    Live Online

    Featuring Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL); Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX); and James Bacchus, Former World Trade Organization Appellate Body Jurist; former U.S. Congressman; Adjunct Scholar, Cato Institute; moderated by Daniel Ikenson, (@dikenson), Director, Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, Cato Institute.

    Live Online Policy Forum

    Trade Policy in a Biden Administration: Back to Normal, or into the Great Unknown?

    November 12, 2020 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM EST
    Live Online

    Featuring Nasim Fussell, Partner, Holland & Knight LLP; Michael Smart, Managing director, Rock Creek Global Advisors LLC; Halie Craig (@haliecraig), Associate Fellow, R Street Institute; moderated by Simon Lester (@snlester), Associate Director, Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, Cato Institute.

    Live Online Policy Forum

    The Future of the World Trade Organization

    July 16, 2020 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM EDT
    Live Online
    Featuring James Bacchus, Former WTO Appellate Body Jurist; former U.S. Congressman; and Adjunct Scholar, Cato Institute; Simon Lester, Associate Director, Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, Cato Institute; and Inu Manak, Research Fellow, Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, Cato Institute; moderated by Daniel Ikenson, Director, Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, Cato Institute.
    More Events

    Cato Studies

    rb244-cover.jpg

    What Are the Price Effects of Trade? Evidence from the United States and Implications for Quantitative Trade Models

    Xavier Jaravel and Erick Sager.
    December 16, 2020
    ftb-78-cover.jpg

    An Unnecessary Proposal: A WTO Waiver of Intellectual Property Rights for COVID-19 Vaccines

    James Bacchus.
    December 16, 2020
    Research Brief 243 Cover

    The Impact of Retaliatory Tariffs on Agricultural and Food Trade

    Colin A. Carter and Sandro Steinbach.
    December 9, 2020
    Article title in foreground of a 100 dollar bill, a chess piece, and the US flag

    The Pandemic Does Not Justify Protectionism or Deglobalization

    Daniel J. Ikenson and Simon Lester.
    September 15, 2020
    More Cato Studies

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