Global trade 2025

Join government officials, global business and civil society leaders to discuss how economic security policies are changing the global landscape and what stakeholders can do to prepare for this.

Conference
27 March 2025 — 8:00AM TO 6:00PM
Chatham House and Online
Rolled up multi-currency bank notes

The path towards economic security

The dynamics of global trade have reached an inflection point. Growing geopolitical fragmentation has driven competition and emerging trade wars in key regions. The architecture at the heart of global trade is increasingly outdated in addressing the needs of a modern, digital economy. Meanwhile the implications of global megatrends such as climate change are increasingly felt throughout global supply chains – demanding a coordinated response from the international community.

The resulting instability in this environment is driving government decision makers to embrace the developing trend of economic security. The principles of free trade, which have for decades formed the bedrock of the multilateral trading system, are taking a back seat in this evolving landscape. From the use of subsidies and tariffs, to the redrawing of supply chains with an eye to the geopolitical alignments of the future and through to the rise of ‘mini-lateral’ trade agreements, all these shifts will have profound implications for years to come.

The 2025 Global Trade Conference traces the implications of this path towards economic security within the global trade landscape, exploring the shifting dynamics across key regions, and examining the influence of global megatrends such as advanced technological development and climate change.

Why attend?

  • Gain unique insights into the role that economic security will play in the future of global trade and what this means for business and government stakeholders alike.
  • Hear from industry leading speakers on the crucial topics that will define the global trade landscape in the years to come.
  • Come together with industry peers to meet in-person at Chatham House, network with leading experts in global trade and benefit from access to exclusive, in-person sessions held under the Chatham House Rule.

The institute occupies a position of respect and trust, and is committed to fostering inclusive dialogue at all events. Event attendees are expected to uphold this by adhering to our code of conduct.

Who attends?

Agenda

Thursday 27 March

The architecture of global trade in 2025

Which geopolitical risks will have the greatest impact on global trade in 2025 and how might these contribute to the fragmentation of global trade architecture? How are multinational organizations like the World Trade Organization (WTO) failing to meet the needs of modern trade landscapes? Where are the key areas of reform within multinational organizations and how can changes to their structure and purpose produce tangible benefit in the long run?


What impact will the rise of economic security policies have on open and rules-based international trading systems? In what ways can global businesses build resilience in this environment dominated by security concerns?

0900–1000

Spotlight session: Start your electric engines – the trade battle over EVs

Exclusive to in person participants and held under the Chatham House Rule.

How has the trade war over electric vehicle (EV) production between major economies been expressed across the world and what further disruption can be expected in this domain? Is the imposition of tariffs on EVs the most effective mechanism to bring divergent parties to the negotiating table? Is that even the aim? Does this leave the global automotive industry in a precarious position?


Does a system of competing subsidies and tariffs amount to a failure of consumer protection policies? How does the battle over EVs set the table for future trade conflicts in the environmental and critical materials space?

1000–1030

Networking break

1030–1100

Keynote address: Britain's role in the global trade landscape

How does the Government plan to reset trade relations with Europe? What initiatives are in place to ensure that the Government can capture the benefits of technology and innovation to foster competitiveness, growth and resilience? What role does trade play in the UK Government’s approach to foreign and development policy?

1100–1130

Fit for the future? Assessing the new UK trade strategy

Is economic security now the guiding theme for the UK’s trade strategy? Does a Labour Government promise a reset in relations between the UK and Europe and specifically how might relations with the EU alter? How is the UK looking to develop relations formed in Asia, through CPTPP, as a means of securing supply chains?


Will the government’s strategy keep up with the fast-paced and ever-changing nature of digital trade? What does the optimum public/private partnership model to foster growth look like in practice?

1130–1230

Networking lunch

1230–1330

Securing the critical materials supply chain

What does the annual growth rate of 10 per cent in the trade of critical minerals tell us about their importance to the global economy and which sectors are they most crucial to? Where are the implicit connections between attempts to increase the resiliency of critical materials supply chains with the drive towards ‘de-risking’ from China? How are these materials influencing the growth of new resource superpowers and what are the implications for political stability and security?


Can international organizations take the lead in creating unified standards on critical material extraction and what is the role of strategic partnerships in achieving resilience in this space? What is the role of the private sector in bolstering critical material resilience?

1330–1430

Networking break

1430–1500

The digital silk road – trade and technology in the Middle and Far East

In what ways has the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership enabled countries in the Asia-Pacific region to unlock the digital tools of trade? How might consensus on the power of e-commerce in major Asian economies be used to de-escalate tensions in this fraught geopolitical environment? How are Middle Eastern economies utilizing the windfall from the trade in commodities like oil and gas, to fuel growth in the digital sector?


How does the threat of conflict in the Middle East intersect with the desire for economic growth in many advanced regional economies? Does this bolster the positions of nations like Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE in attempts at peace negotiations? How has a focus on digital trade enabled a thriving SME (small to medium enterprise) infrastructure to develop across the Asian continent?

1500–1600

Comfort break

1600–1615

Spotlight session: Trade wars – Return of the tariffs

Exclusive to in person participants and held under the Chatham House Rule.

In what ways can escalating tensions around trade be put down to a failure of globalization in equitably spreading the wealth generated by growth since the end of the Cold War? How effective a tool are tariffs in an interconnected, digital global economy? Which sectors will be most vulnerable to the effects of trade wars and how might this influence policy decisions in countries that are reliant on these sectors?


Does a trade war between the US and China drag other major economies into conflict or is this an opportunity for the likes of India, ASEAN states and the EU to assert greater independence? What should policymakers and business leaders do to ensure resilience in this landscape over the next five years?

1615–1700

Networking reception

1700–1800

End of conference

1800
Chatham House exterior.

The venue

Chatham House is a trusted forum for debate and independent analysis. Our conferences provide access to thought leadership, market insight and influential ideas by bringing together policymakers, world leaders, senior business executives and sector specialists.

Join us at our world-famous Grade II listed home in beautiful St James Square, London.

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