Background and Challenges

The world trading system is facing various challenges such as rising protectionism, unequal opportunities to engage in global value chains, and legal systems that are ill-equipped for digital trade and international trade in services. To address these issues, the task force will discuss policies to strengthen the WTO as a negotiating forum and both restore and reinforce the WTO dispute settlement procedure to improve the world trading system. The task force will also focus on goods and services trade policies and socially just and environmental-friendly investment policies that create mutual benefit for both developed and developing countries and mitigate the negative effects of globalization in order to achieve sustainable, balanced and inclusive development. Finally, the task force will explore how to establish well-balanced global rules that promote the free flow of data while also ensuring the protection of personal information in the era of digital trade. Through these discussions, the task force aims to foster common understanding on global issues and provide policy recommendations to G20 officials from an academic perspective.

T20 on Improving Trade and Investment Conditions

The Lead Co-Chair of the T20 Japan Task Force on Trade, Investment, and Globalization Fukunari Kimura describes how global disruptions are impacting trade and investment, and the potential for breakthroughs in the current environment.