The Unassuming Economist

The Council on Economic Policies, the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization are organizing a workshop on 25-26 April, 2018 in Geneva, Switzerland, on policy relevant aspects of the links between trade in services and inclusive growth. Papers presented in the workshop will be considered for an expedited review process for a Review of International Economics special issue to be published in 2019.

Topics

We particularly encourage the submission of unpublished empirical work that uses new datasets or exploits policy experiments in a novel and informative way. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• What is the effect of services trade on inclusive growth and structural transformation? Is trade in services a promising development strategy for developing economies?
• How does services trade affect employment, income and gender inequality, quality of and access to service delivery, and innovation?
• What are key determinants of and barriers to services trade? To what extent have trade agreements reduced them?
• What policies are needed to increase services trade opportunities for inclusive growth?

Program

The workshop will start with a welcome dinner on April 24. April 25 will be devoted to paper presentations as well as a policy debate with trade negotiators and other practitioners in the evening. Presentations will continue in the morning of April 26, followed by an exploration of new directions for research in the afternoon. The workshop will take place at the WTO Secretariat.

Submissions

Papers should be submitted by February 15, 2018 to trade@cepweb.org. Successful submissions will be notified by beginning of March 2018.

Program Committee

• Peter Egger, ETH Zurich
• Ricardo Hausmann, Harvard University
• Bernard Hoekman, European University Institute
• Bob Koopman, World Trade Organization
• Aaditya Mattoo, World Bank
• Margaret McMillan, Tufts University
• Chris Papageorgiou, International Monetary Fund
• Johannes Schwarzer, Council on Economic Policies