Trade Policy Decoded

With the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) of the World Trade Organisation recently concluding in Abu Dhabi, Pru and Peter discuss the reasons for the few positive outcomes from the meeting and the increasing challenges to the multilateral system. This includes the possibility of the US withdrawing from the WTO under a potential second Trump Administration.

Recorded on 7 March 2024.

In this episode of Trade Policy Decoded, Pru and Peter talk to Australia's Special Envoy for Southeast Asia - Nicholas Moore AO about Australia's strategy to develop our economic relationship with Southeast Asia.

Former CEO of Macquarie Bank, Nicholas Moore AO does a great job explaining the different ways government versus business see economic opportunities in Southeast Asia. He gives a rich summary of the key recommendations in the strategy report and highlights the real opportunities and great potential in Australia's investment and trade relationship with our northern neighbours.

With the 2024 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit happening in Melbourne on 4-6 March - this discussion is particularly timely.

In the first episode of Trade Policy Decoded for 2024, Pru and Peter scan the macro and geoeconomic issues most likely to impact international trade policy over the next 12 months. They then dig down into the impact and implications of these broader factors for Australia's trade policy priorities in 2024.

Recorded on 1 February 2024.

In this episode of Trade Policy Decoded, Pru and Peter cover off on the key trade policy developments in 2023. From China, the winners, losers and unfinished business on Australia's trade negotiation 'dance card', to climate change and war in Ukraine and the Middle East. If 2023 was a trade policy whirlwind for you, this podcast sets it out in a nut shell and puts you on solid ground to face 2024!

Peter and Pru were joined by special guest, Dr Naoise McDonaugh from Edith Cowan University, to discuss the evolution and impact of 'values-based' trade. The podcast looks into the changing values informing trade policy over the past 30 years and how geopolitical tensions are seeing the values underpinning trade policy expand well beyond traditional commercial and development focused values. Peter and Naoise discuss their research on the topic and the need for further research (and supporting funding) to help governments and business get a much better handle on the impact and design of values-based trade policy.

Prime Minister Albanese's meeting with President Xi signaled a turning point in the Australia-China relationship. Peter Draper was on the ground in China during the visit. In this week's episode of Trade Policy Decoded, Peter and Pru discuss how the visit was seen in China and Australia, the key issues and debates raised by developments in the bilateral relationship, and what might come out of the meeting then underway between Presidents Biden and Xi.

In this episode, Peter and Pru provide a cheat-sheet on the key arguments that came out of the ACITI Annual Conference on international trade, investment and the climate change challenge.

From trade and investment clean energy and tech opportunities, to the reshaping of global markets based on access to cheap energy, the pros and cons of Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms and green subsidies, and intergovernmental efforts to pull together - for those short on time - this podcast has it all!

As negotiations for an Australia-European Union Free Trade Agreement get to the pointy end, Peter and Pru discuss the broader Australia-EU trade relationship, current stumbling blocks in the negotiations and hurdles still to overcome.

In Episode 3 of Trade Policy Decoded, Peter and Pru run the ruler over the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework negotiations. Unlike any trade agreement before it, Peter and Pru look at IPEF's focus on creating collaborative arrangements rather than hard and fast commitments. They then get into the weeds of the IPEF Supply Chain agreement - a mix of lofty ambition, great intentions, and a surprising twist!

Coming to you from the WTO Public Forum in Geneva, this week Peter and Pru bring listeners up to speed on discussions on reform of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the WTO's role in managing climate change measures, glimmers of hope for the WTO dispute settlement system, and prospects for the WTO moratorium on e-commerce.

Hosts Peter Draper from the University of Adelaide's Institute for International Trade and Pru Gordon from the Australian Centre for International Trade and Investment introduce their new podcast - Trade Policy Decoded. They then delve into the Australia-China trade relationship and the growth of 'climate clubs'.