High-level sessions

The aim of this session was to perform a “health check” on multilateralism, starting with the state of the multilateral trading system, but also looking at the wider picture of macroeconomic cooperation, development, job protection and promotion of the environment. The difficulties that the global trading system and many other multilateral institution have encountered in recent years is indisputable proof that yesterday’s solutions simply cannot be applied to the problems we face today. The discussion benefited from the participation of members from Mr Lamy’s Panel on Defining the Future of World Trade. They encompass expertise from all corners of the world and nearly every field of endeavour, and their analysis will spark debate and open new channels of thinking.