A Trade Agenda for the G-20

POLICY BRIEF 10-11

A Trade Agenda for the G-20

by Jeffrey J. Schott, Peterson Institute for International Economics

May 2010

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G-20 summit planners seem to be giving trade issues short shrift on the already full agenda for their two scheduled meetings in 2010. Such complacency is unwarranted, argues Jeffrey J. Schott, given ongoing protectionist pressures fed by near double digit unemployment rates in the United States and Europe and the continuing impasse in the Doha Round negotiations. Instead, he recommends three concrete actions that G-20 leaders should take to demonstrate their commitment to deterring protectionism and advancing multilateral trade liberalization: "topping up" Doha offers, especially on services; expanding existing offers to provide duty-free/quota-free access for the poorest countries; and extending the G-20 trade standstill commitment by declaring a temporary moratorium on climate change related border measures.

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