(Policy Brief) A New Paradigm for the EU’s Global Trade Strategy: Ethical World Trade and Economy for the Common Good

The era of “free trade,” still actively promoted by the World Trade Organization
(WTO), seems to be coming to an end. In addition, two recent trends – neoprotectionism and economic geopolitics – are neither desirable alternatives to it, nor are they capable of responding to the ecological and social crises the planet is facing today. This presents a unique opportunity to ask what kind of international
trade order could truly promote sustainable economic development, human and
labour rights, gender justice, environmental protection, cultural diversity and
peaceful international cooperation. A Working Paper of the CBS International
Business School outlines a new paradigm of Ethical World Trade as part of a
broader “Economy for the Common Good” framework. In this policy briefing, we
highlight the main policy reforms attached to this new vision, focusing on the
transfer of a WTO rule-based global trade order into the UN system to align it with
both the UN and European Union’s values and guiding principles