25 Feb 2025
US Trade Policy: challenges & opportunities
This lecture from Prof. Dr. Joseph Francois, Managing Director of the World Trade Institute at the University of Bern, explored the evolving landscape of U.S. trade policy, focusing on its challenges and broader geopolitical implications.
Prof. Francois discussed the shift from post-World War II trade liberalization to contemporary protectionist and mercantilist approaches, emphasizing how industrial policy, strategic resource control, and political motivations shape current decisions of the Trump Administration. Key topics included the complexities of U.S. trade governance, the role of tariffs in economic strategy, and the impact of isolationist tendencies on global trade systems. The lecture concluded by highlighting how other nations are adapting to U.S. trade shifts, with an emphasis on multilateral cooperation and emerging economic alliances.