Modernizing international rules, national policies and behind-the-border trade facilitation strategies with the aim of strengthening trade and investment flows.

Although commerce has historically helped lift hundreds of millions out of poverty, many today feel left behind, while business faces uncertainty. Others question whether global production and consumption systems can be aligned with sustainability objectives.

Our Platform works with a range of stakeholders to inform business and policy debate on critical trade and investment issues. We drive practical collaborative steps for growth and development.

The Platform currently focuses on trade tensions, digital trade, investment and trade facilitation, and global tax and competition cooperation.

Related Projects

A New Model for ASEAN Integration

The ASEAN bloc has been extremely successful over the first 50 years of its life. The 10 countries have successfully forged a community of nations that co-exist peacefully. This peace and...

Global Investment Policy and Practice

International investment is crucial to realizing the intertwined goals of sustainable development and corporate growth. The evidence shows that foreign direct investment (FDI) can generat...

Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation

The Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation – jointly led by the Centre for International Private Entreprise, International Chamber of Commerce and World Economic Forum, in cooperation wit...

Global Trade Single Window with Blockchain

The era of digitalization requires enterprises to rethink many aspects of their business models. Several enterprises in global trade have moved their digitalization focus toward the ecosy...

Digital ASEAN

ASEAN is the fastest growing Internet market in the world. With 125,000 new users coming onto the Internet every day, the ASEAN digital economy is projected to grow significantly, adding ...

3D Printing and Trade

3D printing, the key enabler for additive manufacturing, is a technique that offers unique benefits over conventional manufacturing, including greater design freedom, novel geometries, de...

Digital Trade

How can we ensure technology drives new trade opportunities and spreads the gains widely? The Fourth Industrial Revolution – driven by rapid technological change and digitalization – has ...

Competition, Tax and Industrial Policy

Global Value Chains (GVCs) have become a key feature of the trade and investment landscape, with over half of world goods imports consisting of intermediates. These networks enhance econo...

Related Reports

How Can Trade Rules Support Environmental Action?

As governments and businesses grapple with the effects of COVID-19, other global challenges remain. Once the immediate crisis abates, countries must intensify environmental action to tack...

Report — 26 March 2020

The Future of Trade and Investment: A Call to Prevent Economic Fragmentation

In January 2019, the Global Future Council on International Trade and Investment outlined four potential scenarios for the future of global trade and investment. This briefing paper takes...

White Paper — 6 January 2020

International Investment in the Age of Geopolitical Competition, Technological Change and Trade Confrontation

This briefing paper by the Global Future Council on International Trade and Investment explains the new forces shaping international investment. It outlines three possible future scenario...

White Paper — 3 January 2020

Africa E-commerce Agenda: Roadmap for Action

E-commerce in Africa is well underway, but it has potential to grow, creating new jobs and driving sustainable development. E-commerce stakeholders from within and beyond the continent ha...

Report — 3 September 2019

Windows of Opportunity: Facilitating Trade with Blockchain Technology

Trade costs – the costs of moving cargo from one country to another – are a leading constraint for companies wanting to engage in trade. The development of trade single windows, a one-sto...

White Paper — 1 July 2019

Global Value Chain Policy Series: Taxation

This paper highlights the disconnect between the modern global economy and an outdated international tax framework and provides some suggestions for how tax policy could better promote su...

White Paper — 22 June 2018

Global Value Chain Policy Series: Competition

Anti-competitive behaviour can affect the smooth functioning of global value chains (GVCs) in different ways and at various stages. The international nature of production networks, multin...

White Paper — 22 June 2018

Global Value Chain Policy Series: Services

With new data revealing the extent of services’ contribution to global value chains, there has been greater policy interest in what drives services competitiveness. This paper traces the ...

White Paper — 22 June 2018

Global Value Chain Policy Series: Investment

Given the important role of multinational enterprises (MNEs), attracting foreign direct investment is a key concern for countries keen to join value chains. This paper explains why increa...

White Paper — 22 June 2018

Global Value Chain Policy Series: Environment

This paper examines two questions that arise at the intersection of environmental sustainability and global value chains. The first relates to trade and other barriers to the smooth funct...

White Paper — 22 June 2018

Global Value Chain Policy Series: Introduction

The Global Value Chain Policy Series was launched in 2018 by the World Economic Forum’s System Initiative on Shaping the Future of International Trade and Investment. It consists of brief...

White Paper — 22 June 2018

Addressing E-Payment Challenges in Global E-Commerce

Technology has altered the way consumers interact with payment systems. The Internet, digitization, shifting consumer preferences and, in some cases, regulatory reform have accelerated th...

White Paper — 30 May 2018

Paperless Trading: How Does It Impact the Trade System?

Paperless trade refers to the digitization of information flows required to support goods and services crossing borders. Transforming what was traditionally a paper-based documentation sy...

White Paper — 2 November 2017

Making Deals in Cyberspace: What’s the Problem?

This White Paper aims to build the knowledge of current e-transaction and e-signature rules. It evaluates how these apply in national and international commercial contexts, and bridges pe...

White Paper — 17 October 2017

The Role of Law and Regulation in International Trade Finance: the Case of Correspondent Banking

This white paper will present a view of legal and regulatory structures in the context of trade financing, using the recent example of correspondent banking as a case study that highlight...

White Paper — 17 October 2017

The Global Enabling Trade Report 2016

At a time of uncertainty, which aspects of trade policy and practice are working well? Our new report

Report — 30 November 2016

The E15 Initiative: Strengthening the Global Trade and Investment System in the 21st Century

World trade has experienced a significant slowdown since the 2008 financial crisis. Over this period, the global ratio of trade expansion to income growth has halved. An effective global ...

Report — 22 January 2016