- May 18, 2026
- ; 10:00 a.m.
- -
- May 18, 2026
- ; 2:00 p.m.
Geopolitics and geoeconomics are increasingly shaping the global trading environment. Together with the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) the Aspen Institute Germany hosted an Expert Conference of the Study Group on Globalization and the World Economy.
The first panel, “The End of an Era? The Future of the Transatlantic Relationship,” focused on the evolving dynamics of EU–U.S. trade relations and the future of transatlantic cooperation. Payne Griffin, Senior Director and Lead for International Trade and Regulatory Affairs, FTI Consulting, Sarah Bäumchen, Member of the Executive Board of the German Electro and Digital Industry Association, and Bernd Lange, MEP, Chair of the Committee on International Trade, European Parliament, discussed current tensions surrounding tariffs, industrial policy, and differing strategic priorities, while also underlining the continued importance of close transatlantic coordination in addressing global economic challenges. The discussion was moderated by Aspen Germany’s Executive Director Stormy-Annika Mildner.
The second panel explored the future of the multilateral trading system, with a particular focus on the WTO, the role of countries in the Global South, and the increasing pressures on rules-based trade frameworks. H.E. Yadir Salazar Mejía, Ambassador of Colombia in Germany
H.E. Mzukisi Qobo, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of South Africa to the WTO Hiddo Houben, Senior Trade Advisor Asia, DG Trade, European Commission, and Ignacio, Garcia Bercero, Senior Fellow Bruegel, former DG Trade, reflected on questions of representation, economic fragmentation, and the challenges facing developing economies amid shifting supply chains and intensifying geopolitical competition.
