Did the protectionist dog bark? Transparency, accountability, and the WTO during the global financial crisis
Leaders of the G20 promised repeatedly that they would refrain from trade restrictions in response to the global financial crisis that began in 2008, and that they would minimize the negative impact on trade and investment of stimulus measures.
They also promised to hold themselves accountable for this commitment using a novel transparency mechanism based in the World Trade Organization (WTO). At the same time, the Global Trade Alert (GTA) set itself up as an alternative accountability mechanism. A detailed comparison of GTA and WTO data on the number of measures each found, and of their ability to offer robust interpretations of the measures, allows both a check on the official story, and a consideration of how transparency can help to close the gap between commitment and action, thereby contributing to accountable global governance.
Participating experts
You might also be interested in
Rethinking the Global Response to Deforestation
As the EUDR enters a new phase, global efforts to address deforestation are shifting from compliance to broader cooperation on forests, climate, and trade ahead of COP 31.
Voluntary Sustainability Standards and Export Promotion
How integrating voluntary sustainability standards into export measures can help producers adopt better practices and access key markets.
Unpacking National Investment Laws
This report explores how national investment laws regulate dispute settlement and suggests how to reform them to align with sustainable development and 21st-century policy objectives.
Data and Digital Trade Law
This policy primer provides a comprehensive overview of data governance in the digital economy: what it is, how different regulatory approaches are emerging, and why it is increasingly central to digital trade policy.