Opportunities and Obligations

International trade is at the center of the wide array of challenges nations are working to confront. Trade also exemplifies the complexity and interrelationship of policy options. It has evolved beyond basic questions of tariffs. International trade laws and regulations affect aspects of life from access to healthy food to the protection of the latest innovations in communications and nanotechnology. A key challenge for all nations in the short term is to make sure the international trading system is configured to ensure sustainable economic growth that is enjoyed by all peoples of the world. This challenge is complicated by non-trade factors such as political instability, environmental degradation, and cultural differences.