Seminar in Memory of Claes Alvstam

An open seminar in the Gothenburg seminar on international business and trade series in memory of Professor Claes-Göran Alvstam.

The patterns of international business and trade are in a process of dramatic transformation. The lessons from Covid and increased geopolitical tensions make countries and business changing their models and supply chains. Furthermore we see the erosion of the multilateral structures regulating international trade, an increase in protectionist measures, and new formats for regional cooperation are gaining ground.  These developments have been aggravated by the repercussions of an illegal large scale aggressive war in Europe. This has created incentives for governments as well as for commercial actors to put forward proposals for “friend-shoring”  and strategic autonomy.  Due to the resulting increased fragility of previously seemingly seamless transnational value chains, some even claim that we are moving from a "globalized" to "regionalized" trade scene. Is this a trend or only a temporary distortion? Are we witnessing the end of globalization?

This development is taking place in a time where the world is facing several common challenges that warrants an effective multilateralism.

To gain a deeper understanding of theses changing conditions for international trade and the longer-term effects of this development, the School of Business, Economics and Law has invited three qualified speakers for an advanced open seminar.

More information here: https://www.gu.se/evenemang/changing-conditions-for-international-trade-prospects-for-the-future?fbclid=IwAR2T2Aq0eWTwgXAUe0QqMfnz3iVzykPan63SybvD-Wss2zkK2-6sPbYidUw

Programme and speakers

Per Cramér - Introduction
Dean, Professor in International Law, School of Business, Economics and Law, Gothenburg

Cecilia Malmström

Former European Commissioner for Trade, Non-resident fellow Peterson Institute for International Economics, Washington DC

Anders Ahnlid

Director General, The National Board of Trade, Stockholm

Petros Mavroidis

Edwin B. Parker Professor of Foreign & Comparative Law, Columbia University, New York

Open discussion with the speakers

This seminar is the first in a series of recurring seminars in honor of the late professor in Economic Geography, Claes-Göran Alvstam. For almost half a century he was active at the School of Business Economics and Law, making an extraordinary impact on generations of students and fostering a successful research environment in the field of international business and trade.