The Transformation of International Economic Law

Since the ‘birth’ of international economic law as a widely recognized field in the late 1990s, the subject has both changed in multiple respects and also failed, in the eyes of many, to sufficiently adapt to the needs of a more complex, multipolar world. Many participants see the system as having left behind and left out a wide scope of civil society from being to reap economic benefits. Today, we are experiencing unprecedented challenges but also a moment of unparalleled progress, which present novel legal questions. Issues such as global pandemics, climate action, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and the internet of things will further highlight the importance of the international regulation of trade, investment and intellectual property in the future. This roundtable is designed to reflect on the transformation - both past and yet to come - of international economic law to help confront some of the main challenges our humanity faces. It will provide expert but high-level analysis of certain relevant aspects of the changes in international economic law, how these challenges could or should be approached and potentially resolved, what the prospects are for new paths to solve disagreements on complex issues, and how the international system can and should continue to change in the future.