About the seminar:
What are the key challenges facing the European Union’s trade policy in an era of resurgent global protectionism and changing geopolitical arrangements? Against the backdrop of growing trade barriers and the fragmentation of the international economic order, and given the ineffectiveness of the WTO framework, the seminar discussion will cover, among other things, US tariffs, further EU efforts to liberalise trade bilaterally, and their consequences for Member States, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe.
The seminar programme will focus on three issues:
1. The impact of US protectionism on the EU and the Visegrad Group (V4)
Prof. Jan Michałek (Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw) will assess the channels of influence of recent US protectionist measures on trade in the European Union, particularly in Central European economies. Based on simulation analyses, he will present the potential benefits or losses in terms of prosperity for Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and other EU Member States, depending on the configuration of US tariffs vis-à-vis the rest of the world.
2. Uneven distribution of benefits from EU free trade agreements
Prof. Jan Hagemejer (CASE and Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw) will present the extent to which EU free trade agreements (FTAs) cover the trade flows of individual Member States, pointing to the uneven distribution of benefits within the Union. The analysis will show which countries rely most heavily on preferential agreements, thus providing insight into how different national interests shape the trade policy debate at the EU level.
3. Assessment of the EU-Mercosur agreement
Prof. Jan Hagemejer (CASE and WNE UW) will assess the long-negotiated EU-Mercosur agreement. The expert will present the economic potential of expanded market access, identify key sectors that could benefit most, and weigh these opportunities against concerns about sustainability, environmental protection and political feasibility in Member States.
The seminar provides a timely platform for the exchange of views among academics, policymakers and stakeholders, enabling a critical assessment of the EU’s adaptability in a challenging international trade environment.
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