International trade [What Think Tanks are Thinking]

Briefing 31-03-2017

The election of Donald Trump, who favours a bilateral over multilateral approach to international economic relations, as U.S. President may herald the end of an era of progressive liberalisation in global trade since the Second World War. At their meeting in March, finance ministers of the G20 group of major economies dropped their decade-long call to resist protectionism in international trade from their usual statement, under pressure from the new U.S. Treasury Secretary, Steven Mnuchin. More changes in international trade may also result from the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union, which will redefine their mutual trade relations and those with third countries. This note offers links to a series of recent studies and commentaries from major international think tanks and research institutes on current issues in global trade.