Release Date: Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Conference to explore the current state and future of international trade

Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia School of Law's Dean Rusk Center and the Terry College of Business will sponsor a daylong conference titled “The Future of International Trade: An American Perspective” on Feb. 18. The event will explore where the United States currently stands and its future with regard to international trade. Free and open to the public, the conference will be held in the Larry Walker Room of Dean Rusk Hall.

“The United States' increased focus on raising the volume of American exports—combined with the lack of progress in the current round of World Trade Organization negotiations and the global financial crisis—have led some to question the direction in which international trade is headed,” Georgia Law third-year student and conference co-organizer C. Blake McDaniel said.

Helping to answer this question will be Deputy United States Trade Representative Ambassador Demetrios Marantis, who will deliver the keynote address.

There also will be panels exploring the business aspects of international trade, including the pros and cons of increased and open international trade; the political challenges to international trade, including U.S.–China trade issues; and the structure future agreements may take, such as whether they will come mostly in the form of bilateral, regional or multilateral agreements.

“This conference comes at a critical time for the U.S. trade agenda and the future of the WTO, and there is a certain need for further understanding in this complicated arena,” Director of the Dean Rusk Center C. Donald Johnson said. “This event brings together key policymakers, academics, practitioners and business leaders to provide a road map for the future of the international trade regime.”

Check–in will begin at 8 a.m., with the actual conference starting at 9 a.m. Pre–registration is required for participants who would like to be served lunch during the keynote address. For more information and to register, see the conference website.

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