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The multilateral trading system is confronting profound challenges. Rising geopolitical tensions, economic nationalism, and the growing fragmentation of global governance have placed significant strain on institutions designed to facilitate cooperation and manage international commerce. At the same time, long-standing concerns about inequality, development, and environmental sustainability continue to shape debates about the future of global trade.
This ENSURED webinar brings together research and civil society perspectives to examine how trade governance can evolve to meet these pressures. Drawing on two ENSURED reports – Revitalising and Reforming the World Trade Organization in an Age of Geopolitics and Expanding the WTO’s Scope in a Shifting Geopolitical Landscape: An Appraisal of Development, Environment, and Inclusiveness Agendas – the discussion will explore how multilateral trade institutions can adapt to a more fragmented geopolitical environment while maintaining their core commitment to cooperation and rules-based governance.
The conversation will examine how the World Trade Organization and related institutions can remain relevant amid great power competition, the inward turn of major economies, and the expansion of economic governance into new areas such as digital commerce and international taxation. At the same time, the discussion will address how reforms to the trade regime could better incorporate development priorities, environmental concerns, and broader societal interests.
Over 90 minutes, we’ll explore important questions like:
- How is geopolitical fragmentation reshaping global trade governance, and how can multilateral institutions adapt while preserving core principles of cooperation?
- As economic governance expands beyond traditional trade rules, how should coordination across institutions addressing issues such as digital commerce and global taxation be managed?
- What mechanisms could ensure that trade reforms address global inequalities and environmental challenges, rather than simply restoring commercial flows?
- What opportunities exist for the EU to champion more inclusive and sustainable approaches to global trade governance?
- How can civil society organisations effectively engage with an increasingly complex landscape of trade institutions and policy forums?
- What developments should we watch in the coming months, including the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé, Cameroon (26–29 March 2026)?
- ...and much more!
The discussion will reflect on how trade governance can remain both effective and legitimate in an era of geopolitical competition, and how civil society actors can help shape reform pathways that prioritise development, sustainability, and democratic values alongside economic cooperation.
Our panellists include:
- Clara Weinhardt, Maastricht University
- Michal Parízek, Charles University
- Moderator: Samuel King, CIVICUS
To participate, make sure to register for the webinar.
About the ENSURED Webinar Series:
In Conversation with Civil Society is a year-long webinar series exploring how global governance institutions can become more effective, robust, and democratic. Each session brings together ENSURED researchers, policymakers, and civil society leaders to discuss practical reform pathways across seven key policy areas. Through a conversational format, the series connects analytical research with civil society experience, identifying political opportunities for institutional change and highlighting where advocacy can have the greatest impact across fragmented governance landscapes and persistent North–South divides.
The series is coordinated and facilitated by CIVICUS.
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