The Future of the WTO

Alan Wm. Wolff, distinguished visiting fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and former deputy director-general of the World Trade Organization, discussed the future of the WTO in a speech titled “A Roadmap to the Future of the World Trading System.” The multilateral trading system is in its eighth decade, and the WTO is now 26 years old. Heads of state and trade ministers have been calling for WTO reform for the last several years. Clearly there is a need to make changes. What are they? What happens if they are not made?

PIIE president Adam S. Posen moderated the Q&A session and discussion with the audience.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Alan Wm. Wolff is a distinguished visiting fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Before joining PIIE, he was deputy director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO). His research focuses on developing reforms of the WTO; responding to the role of the United States, the European Union, and China in the international trading system; and serving the needs of all countries in using trade to achieve economic prosperity. Wolff will write a book on the future of the trading system during his visiting fellowship at the Peterson Institute.

Adam S. Posen is president of the Peterson Institute for International Economics.