Towards a New European Trade Strategy in Times of Geopolitical Upheaval: The German Perspective
As one of the most successful trading blocs, the EU sees itself confronted with the erosion of the global rules-based trading system and trade becoming increasingly weaponized.
The ongoing US-China decoupling and the Russian war in Ukraine recently reinforced the debate about European sovereignty and economic security with wide-ranging consequences for the EU’s economic model and its trade relations with third countries. Recalibrating the degree of the EU’s economic openness involves new approaches regarding multilateralism, bilateral trade agreements and autonomous trade instruments.
This paper looks at how Germany as an internationally highly interconnected country is directly impacted by all these developments and thus tries to both adapt its own position and help shape a new European trade strategy. This will be of high relevance for both the new European Commission and European Parliament after the upcoming European elections in 2024.
Klemens Kober is Director Trade Policy, EU Customs, Transatlantic Relations at the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) as well as EU-representative of the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA). He is based in Brussels and represents DIHK in a number of European and international bodies, including the Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Eurochambres) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). Previously, he worked at the Directorate-General for Trade of the European Commission. He is also lecturing at the Institut d'études politiques de Strasbourg.
- The views expressed in this paper are those of the author only.
>> >> See also the publication by Marie Krpata and Ana Helena Palermo: available in French and German (pdf):
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The Committee for the Study of Franco-German Relations (Cerfa) was created in 1954 by an inter-governmental agreement between the Federal Republic of Germany and France, in order to raise awareness of Germany in France and analyze Franco-German relations, including in their European and international dimensions. In its conferences and seminars, which bring together experts, political leaders, senior decision-makers and representatives of civil society from both countries, Cerfa develops the Franco-German debate and stimulates political proposals. It regularly publishes studies through two collections: Cerfa notes and studies as well as Franco-German visions.
Cerfa maintains close relations with the network of German foundations and think tanks. In addition to its research and debate activities, Cerfa promotes the emergence of a new Franco-German generation through original cooperation programs. This is how in 2021-2022, Cerfa led a program on multilateralism with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Paris. This program is aimed at young professionals from both countries interested in the issues of multilateralism in the context of their activities. It covered a wide range of themes relating to multilateralism, such as international trade, health, human rights and migration, non-proliferation and disarmament. Previously, Cerfa had participated in the Franco-German future dialogue, co-led with the DGAP from 2007 to 2020, and supported by the Robert Bosch Foundation and the Daniel Vernet group (formerly the Franco-German Reflection Group) which was founded in 2014 upon the initiative of the Genshagen Foundation.
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