During the past 20 years, trade economists have made important contributions to our understanding of international trade. However, the key insights of this research have not yet sufficiently reached the policy level.

The purpose of the conference is to link contemporary research to modern policymaking. Researchers will present the state of knowledge in trade research. Decision-makers will comment and discuss how trade policy could be more evidence-based.

The conference is organised by the National Board of Trade Sweden and the Center for Asian Studies at the Stockholm School of Economics. It is part of our support to the 2023 Swedish presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Programme - 11 May 2023
08.00–09.00 Registration and coffee

09.00–09.10 Welcome address
Lars Strannegård, President at the Stockholm School of Economics
Anders Ahnlid, Director-General at the National Board of Trade Sweden

09.10–09.20 "The need for evidence-based trade policy"
Johan Forssell, Sweden's Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade (digital address)

09.20–10.05 Research keynote address: "21st century trade research – what all policymakers should know"
Marc Melitz, Professor of Political Economy at Harvard University

10.05–10.45 Policy keynote address: "Policy lessons from 21st century trade research"
Representative from the EU Commission (tbc)

10.45–11.15 Coffee break

11.15–12.00 "The impact of trade liberalisation on productivity"
Claudia Steinwender, Professor of Economics at Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich
Commentator: Julia Nielsen, Deputy Director of the OECD Trade and Agriculture Directorate

12.00–13.30 Lunch

13.30–14.15 "The social dimension: trade and inequality in the light of 21st century theory and evidence"
Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg, Professor of Economics at Yale University
Commentator: Cecilia Malmström, Senior Fellow at the Petersen Institute for International Economics

14.15–15.00 "This time it is different? – strategic trade policy in the 21st century"
Patrik Tingvall, Chief Economist at the National Board of Trade Sweden
Simon Evenett, Professor of International Trade and Economic Development at the University of St Gallen

15.00–15.30 Coffee break

15.30–16.00 "Trade and geography: 21st century evidence on trade and the localisation of production"
Henry Yeung, Professor at the Department of Geography at the National University of Singapore

16.00–16.30 Concluding address: "Building trade policy on the shoulders of 21st century science"
Anabel Gonzalez, Deputy Director-General at the World Trade Organization

16.30 Concluding remarks
Patrik Ström, Director at the Center for Asian Studies at the Stockholm School of Economics

17.00–18.00 Reception with refreshments for speakers and participants at Atrium, Stockholm School of Economics

For more information about the conference and the speakers

All participants have to register by using the registration link below. The deadline to register is 12 April 2023.

Registration