Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- 1 Harnessing globalization amid the crisis facing multilateralism
- 2 The changing face of trade
- 3 Helping the poorest up the prosperity ladder
- 4 Trade: friend not foe of the environment
- 5 Trading towards global food security
- 6 Trade can contribute towards better health
- 7 Trade and labour: separated at birth, but still connected
- 8 Trade and energy: the case for a greater WTO role
- 9 Trade and currencies: trading community seeks greater currency stability
- 10 Trade and competition: fairer competition makes for fairer trade
- 11 Trade and human rights: a case of misplaced suspicion
- 12 Corruption: a cancer that trade transparency can help to treat
- 13 Last but not least: the Doha Round
- Epilogue
- Index
Preface
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 December 2013
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- 1 Harnessing globalization amid the crisis facing multilateralism
- 2 The changing face of trade
- 3 Helping the poorest up the prosperity ladder
- 4 Trade: friend not foe of the environment
- 5 Trading towards global food security
- 6 Trade can contribute towards better health
- 7 Trade and labour: separated at birth, but still connected
- 8 Trade and energy: the case for a greater WTO role
- 9 Trade and currencies: trading community seeks greater currency stability
- 10 Trade and competition: fairer competition makes for fairer trade
- 11 Trade and human rights: a case of misplaced suspicion
- 12 Corruption: a cancer that trade transparency can help to treat
- 13 Last but not least: the Doha Round
- Epilogue
- Index
Summary
In 1999, as I was preparing to appear before the European Parliament to make my case for becoming the European Union Trade Commissioner, I decided to use the term ‘harnessing globalization’. It was intended to capture the ultimate objective of international trade and economic policies at the turn of the century. It became central to my tenure as EU Trade Commissioner. It continued to be my guiding principle during my eight years as Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Globalization continues to unleash incredible transformational power in our societies, thanks in particular to scientific and technological advances. But this power needs to be harnessed, to be channelled, to be tamed, if we want globalization to be for the benefit of all.
Trade has been an extremely efficient conveyor belt of globalization. It has been a powerful instrument for promoting growth and development, for reducing poverty and for improving standards of living. And the WTO has been an essential instrument in harnessing global trade. It has been the key forum where trade opening has been negotiated and where the rules governing global trade and trade disputes among countries have been set. It is a successful example of global governance.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Geneva ConsensusMaking Trade Work for All, pp. vii - xPublisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2013