World Bank-CEPR Conference

EVENT:

Brussels, Tuesday 26 May 2009 - Wednesday 27 May 2009

Joint World Bank – CEPR Meeting: Trade Implications Of Policy Responses to the Crisis

With the global economy entering a severe crisis, political pressures demanding protection from import competition to preserve employment are likely to surface with increasing intensity around the world. In addition, a number of governments have already taken – or are likely to take in the future - measures, ranging from fiscal stimuli or subsidies to devaluations, to revive their economies. This resurgence of protectionist pressures and economic nationalism raises fears concerning retaliation that would risk pushing the economy into deeper and prolonged contraction.

The World Bank and the Center for Economic Policy Research gathered a group of experts to analyze different types of state measures that have been taken in recent months and to identify forms of protectionism that could still be undertaken by governments in the months to come. The preliminary findings were discussed at the conference in Brussels on the 26-27th of May. The articles form the basis for an E-book edited by Simon Evenett (University of St. Gallen) and Bernard Hoekman (World Bank) which will be disseminated in early July, in time for the G7 meeting in Italy.

	Richard Baldwin of the Graduate Institute was one of the key speakers in the event. Prof. Charles Wyplosz (Graduate Institute and ICMB) and Sebastian Weber (Graduate Institute) contributed to the conference with a joint paper on the development of exchange rates throughout the crisis. The programme of the conference is available here. Below is a list of the speakers and a link to their presentations.
Session 1: Macroeconomic perspective
-    Otaviano Canuto, (World Bank)     -    Richard Portes (London Business School and CEPR) View Presentation     -    Pierre Jacquet (Agence Française de Développement)
Session 2: Business perspective
-    Pascal Kerneis (European Services Forum)     -    Eoin O’Malley (Businesseurope)
Mechanisms and sectors of state interventionism:
Session 3: Lead discussant Gaspar Frontini (European Commission)
-    Simon Evenett, (University of St Gallen and CEPR)          Stimulus packages and government procurement View Presentation     -    Chad Bown, (Brandeis University) Antidumping and safeguards View Presentation
Session 4: Lead discussant Patrick Messerlin (Groupe d’Economie Mondiale de SciencesPo)
-    Alessandro Nicita (UNCTAD) and Marcelo Olarreaga (University of Geneva and CEPR)          Tariff changes View Presentation     -    Sebastian Weber (Graduate Institute) and Charles Wyplosz (Graduate Institute and CEPR)          Exchange rate policies View Presentation     -    Anders Aeroe (ITC) Non-tariffs measures View Presentation
Session 5: Lead discussant Patrick Low (WTO)
-    Frederic Jenny (ESSEC) Competition policy View Presentation     -    Stefan Tangermann (formerly OECD) and Tim Josling (Stanford University)          Agriculture View Presentation     -    Ron Steenblick (OECD) Green protectionism View Presentation
Session 6: Lead discussant Richard Newfarmer (World Bank)
-    Stijn Claessens (IMF and CEPR) Financial nationalism View Presentation     -    Jean-Pierre Chauffour (World Bank) Trade finance View Presentation    -    Jean LeCocguic (OECD) Export credit agencies View Presentation
Session 7: Lead discussant Alan Winters (DFID and CEPR)
-    Bernard Hoekman (World Bank and CEPR) Services and outsourcing View Presentation     -    Anne van Aaken (University of St Gallen) and Jürgen Kurtz (Melbourne University)          Legal perspective View Presentation
The way forward: recommendations for policy makers
-    Richard Baldwin (Graduate Institute and CEPR)     -    Simon Evenett (St Gallen University and CEPR)     -    Bernard Hoekman (World Bank and CEPR)