Trade Resolution

Resolution tabled by Jörgen Warborn, President of SME Global at the IDU Summit May 16th, Brussels

RECOGNIZING the growing concerns over escalating trade tensions and unpredictability in the global trading environment, particularly following recent measures by the US administration to impose comprehensive tariffs—actions that have triggered national retaliatory responses, disrupted global supply chains, and contributed to financial instability,

ACKNOWLEDGING with regret the rise of protectionist policies and unfair trade practices, including anti-dumping measures and the provision of market-distorting subsidies, which violate international trade rules established under the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO),

AFFIRMING that the WTO has long served as the cornerstone of free, open, and fair global trade, yet is now facing mounting scrutiny due to concerns over the efficiency and effectiveness of its procedures,

The International Democracy Union:

1. Reaffirms its commitment to an open, inclusive, and rules-based multilateral trading system that enables businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to access and thrive in a prospering global marketplace; and encourages efforts to minimize trade barriers where possible to facilitate the international exchange of goods and services,
2. Emphasizes that businesses flourish most in an environment where trade policies are transparent, predictable, and firmly anchored in internationally agreed rules, fostering trust and long-term investment and commercial partnerships,
3. Highlights the transformative role of global trade in lifting millions out of poverty by expanding export opportunities, driving job creation, and promoting social prosperity and economic growth across regions,
4. Considers that bilateral and regional cooperation are more critical than ever. By strengthening existing partnerships and proactively forging new trade alliances, businesses can diversify their markets, access alternative opportunities, and better insulate themselves from external shocks and trade disruptions,
5. Calls for an urgent revival and modernization of the WTO, including reform of core functions such as the dispute settlement system, restoration of the Appellate Body, and the clarification of the criteria for ‘developing country’ status. These reforms are essential to re- establish the WTO as a stable, efficient, and credible rules-based trading system that benefits all economies, regardless of size or stage of development.