Event International Trade and Economic Policy 2026 Roundtable Discussion: A Progressive Agenda for Multilateral Trade 05.11.2026 Senior trade delegates and experts gathered for a roundtable on progressive approaches to reforming the multilateral trading system. Image: Creator: FES Geneva A closed-door lunch roundtable, co-hosted by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Geneva Office and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), brought together invited senior delegates and experts to discuss and test the proposals set out in the policy brief A Progressive Agenda for the Multilateral Trading System — Reform or Retreat? by Rashid S. Kaukab, Senior Specialist in Trade and Sustainable Development. The discussion examined the proposals in the policy brief against the evolving realities of the World Trade Organization (WTO) reform process, which is gaining momentum, and explored their relevance and feasibility within the current multilateral trading system. The brief synthesises and builds upon key proposals from Joseph E. Stiglitz’ and Martín Guzmán’s recent study Towards a New Deal for Global Trade, translating them into options for the Geneva trade community, and follows on from the two FES–IISD high-level events held in May 2026.
