March 8th, 2023

Our fourth session of the “Erasing the And” series was in commemoration of International Women’s Day. CITD hosted an “Erasing the And” roundtable focused on trade and gender. Our CITD “Erasing the And” series reimagines trade law and policy in a way that puts issues like development, gender, environment, and health at the center of the discussion, rather than treating them as “add-ons” to trade policy.

Trade is no longer viewed as “gender neutral”, and trade agreements are increasingly incorporating gender provisions.  Yet deeper research and more tailored legal and policy approaches are needed to ensure that women’s needs are met.  CITD’s event shared highlights of the December 2022 WTO World Trade Congress on Gender, featuring Anoush der Boghossian, Head of the Trade and Gender Unit at the WTO, followed by a panel discussion including Nadia Rocha, Lead Economist, Global Trade and Regional Integration at the World Bank, CITD Co-Director Professor Katrin Kuhlmann and Advisory Board Member Professor Amrita Bahri. Professors Kuhlmann and Bahri also presented research on how to ensure that trade agreements can be better designed and implemented to address the challenges that women face around the world, which they presented at the WTO Gender Congress.

January 12, 2023

Institute of International Economic Law (IIEL) and the International Tax Policy Forum (ITPF) hosted the 2023 ITPF / Georgetown Law Conference – International Taxation in Flux at Georgetown Law.

The nearly century-old bedrock principles for cross-border income taxation are crumbling under pressure from the globally integrated, knowledge-based economy and the need for governments to mobilize revenues to address, among other things, pandemic debt and demographic change.

In reaction to unilateral measures that breach international norms – such as digital services taxes – the OECD and G20 have led an initiative that produced in October 2021 an historic two-pillar “solution” to these tax challenges that has been agreed by 137 countries. The agreement would assign international taxing rights under a combination of arm’s length pricing and unitary sales-based formulary apportionment and set a minimum rate of corporate income taxation.

The conference assessed the two-pillar project and considered whether it is fit for purpose and better than the alternatives, with a keynote speech from former Treasury Deputy Assistant Secretary Itai Grinberg.

November 30th, 2022

Our third “Erasing the And” focused on the relationship between trade and social inclusion. Although trade is not primarily to blame for rising inequality and social conflict, it is not wholly innocent either. International trade law plays a powerful role in fomenting the conditions under which people thrive, implicating social equality and inclusion. The impacts of trade and rapid technological change on income inequality and the security of work have become politically salient issues in the United States and Europe, challenging the international trade legal order. Social inclusion is an issue in developing economies as well, where issues of equity drive trade debates within and between nations. This talk and discussion addressed how international trade law can and should be retooled to support social inclusion worldwide, despite a brief interruption by the fire alarm.

October 20 - 21, 2022

The macroeconomic instability of the 2020s continues to fuel economic, social, and political turmoil worldwide and to recast our understanding of law and macroeconomics. The ongoing crisis has opened up new and vitally important research opportunities. As we press on towards pandemic recovery and confront new challenges, the Fifth Conference on Law and Macroeconomics focused on the law’s role in shaping a sustainable and resilient macroeconomy and on the role of macroeconomic policy in national, regional, and global governance.

October 11-12, 2022

Ever since kicking off on the campus of Georgetown University Law Center in 2017, DC Fintech Week has had a simple objective: democratize information and allow everyone–from nonprofits and technologists to entrepreneurs and regulators–to engage one another, for free, in a meaningful dialogue about fintech and the future of finance. Since launching on Georgetown's campus in 2017, DC Fintech Week has become the leading forum for thoughtful discussions on fintech policy. 

September 14, 2022

The Sovereign Debt Forum hosted a diverse panel of experts to examine questions surrounding the Common Framework and its ability to provide meaningful debt relief. Moderated by Sean Hagan and Anna Gelpern, this is part of the Sovereign Debt Forum’s regular webinar series on the pressing challenges facing the international community in sovereign debt and related areas.

May 25-27, 2022

The European University Institute, in partnership with IIEL, hosted the 5th edition of the Interdisciplinary Sovereign Debt Research and Management Conference, on May 25-27, 2022 in Florence, Italy. In addition to DebtCon5, three side events were held online – further information will be announced in due time, so stay tuned!

In this unique international and interdisciplinary conference, we welcomed paper submissions from economists, finance and legal scholars, historians, political scientists, political economists, sociologists and anthropologists working in theoretical and empirical areas related to sovereign debt as well as from practitioners.

May 26, 2022

The Institute of International Economic Law and the Sovereign Debt Forum mark the release of the International Monetary Fund’s Reviews of the Fund's Sovereign Arrears Policies and Perimeter. The expert panel discussed the findings of the IMF policy review against the background of rising public and private debt stocks, and acute sovereign debt vulnerabilities in a growing number of countries around the world. The IMF’s arrears policies have been a critical element in the international debt crisis management toolkit since the 1980s, and have evolved to reflect big changes in global capital flows and crisis dynamics.

May 13, 2022

Mauricio Cárdenas, Andrés Velasco, and Marc Hofstetter discuss Debt and Fiscal Challenges in Latin America in the first policy session of the webinar series that leads up to the 5th Interdisciplinary Sovereign Debt Research and Management Conference. The policy session is followed by an academic session with paper presentations.

May 11, 2022

This virtual conversation was part 2 of a series of virtual events accompanying to the 5th Interdisciplinary Sovereign Debt Research and Management Conference, DebtCon5, hosted by the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence, Italy. IIEL, SDF, and the Centre for Finance and Development at the Graduate Institute of Geneva are co-hosting DebtCon5 alongside EUI.

April 22, 2022

In response to Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine, Executive Vice President (EVP) of the European Commission, Valdis Dombrovskis highlighted the need for accelerated transatlantic cooperation to defend and promote Western democratic values, both in support of Ukraine and at a wider global level. He also addressed transatlantic collaboration in tackling global challenges including supply chain resilience, energy and food security, and the need to strengthen global institutions.

April 13, 2022

The Global Financial Stability Report is one of the IMF’s most important and anticipated annual documents, focusing on how developments in finance and technology might impact the international economy. The event delved into the findings of the Global Financial Stability Report, and featured a discussion with paper lead author, academics, and policymakers.

April 8, 2022

Acting Comptroller Michael Hsu joins IIEL Faculty Director Professor Chris Brummer to share his thoughts on stablecoins and stablecoin regulation. As Acting Comptroller, Mr. Hsu is the administrator of the federal banking system and chief executive officer of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. He is also, notably, the primary regulator of the federal banking system and is engaged in discussions about the oversight and regulation of digital assets.

March 31, 2022

Under the umbrella of IIEL, Georgetown Law professors Jennifer Hillman and Katrin Kuhlmann launched the Center on Inclusive Trade and Development (CITD), focused on finding solutions to the challenges facing the international trading system and developing global approaches to making trade rules more inclusive, sustainable and supportive of development.

The event featured a keynote speech from Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre, joined by Katrin and Jennifer for a discussion on how the trading system can pivot to address the implications of trade rules for development, for the environment, for global health, and for labor rights.

Feb 25, 2022

In celebration of Black History Month, WTO Director General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, reflect on the evolving role of Africa in the international community, and discuss their organizations' efforts to mobilize an inclusive international economic agenda. The wide ranging conversation covers, among other topics, regional trade and integration in Africa, inflation, and what the digital transformation of the global economy means for the continent's economic future.

December 1, 2021

Governments in emerging and developing economies have issued a growing share of their debt in their own currencies and under their own laws in recent years. This trend has accelerated with the COVID-19 shock. As a result, domestic debt is likely to play a larger role in the resolution of future sovereign debt crises. A sovereign domestic debt restructuring should be designed to anticipate, minimize, and manage its impact on the domestic economy and financial system.

On December 1, 2021, IIEL and the Sovereign Debt Forum launched a discussion of new IMF staff research analyzing policymakers' decision to restructure sovereign domestic debt.

October 27 - 28, 2021

The role of law as an instrument of macroeconomic policy through the Covid-19 pandemic, including as a means for social protection, has opened up new and exciting research opportunities. As we edge towards recovery, what is the role of law in creating a macroeconomy appropriate for a post-pandemic world?

October 18 - 21, 2021

Ever since its initial launch on Georgetown’s campus five years ago, DC Fintech Week has served as a unique global policy forum where the public can learn about the cutting-edge issues redefining finance and the economy.

Attendance at DC Fintech Week is, and has always been, provided free of charge. Our aim is to elevate the public’s understanding, and discourse, by democratizing the ideas and thoughts driving industry and policymakers.

June 15, 2021

With their numbers already greatly reduced by the 2008 financial crisis, consolidation of larger banks and the COVID-19 pandemic, these institutions now face a new challenge — securing the financial technology essential to remaining viable in the digital age.

In commemoration of Juneteenth, IIEL convened leaders from Congress, regulatory agencies and the private sector to discuss the future of minority-owned financial institutions in a forum titled “Can Black and Brown Banks Compete in a Digital Economy?” on June 15, 2021.

Co-hosted by the Black Economic Alliance and facilitated by the Brookings Institution as knowledge partner, the event was the first in a series of programs leading up to IIEL’s 5th Annual DC Fintech Week in October.

April 14, 2021

At a moment when trade is being challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic and a resurgence of protectionist sentiments, and the WTO faces crises across many of its core functions, the aim of the 2021 G2 conference was to elevate new, fresh perspectives with bold ideas for the WTO’s path forward. In addition to outstanding panels on legal paths forward on WTO plurilaterals and the path ahead for dispute settlement, we have challenged students from across the globe to a three day legal hackathon on ‘How to Make the WTO Fit for Future Trade.’ The most innovative proposals were featured on the day of the Conference (April 14).

The G2 Conference 2021 was co-organized by Centre for Trade and Economic Integration at the Graduate Institute, the Institute of International Economical Law at Georgetown Law, and the Geneva Trade Platform.

March 10, 2021

Australia’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the WTO George Mina put it well: “There is hope at the WTO this year, but we need to channel it wisely. There is much to do to both repair the system and mobilize it to achieve some wins at the Ministerial Conference in December.” To this very end, the European Union (EU) recently published a comprehensive proposal on ‘Reforming the WTO: Towards a Sustainable and Effective Multilateral Trading System’.

In this communication, the EU emphasized that a high degree of convergence in the reform agenda between the United States and the EU makes for an essential building block of multilateral success. The expert panelists in this webinar discussed opportunities for cooperation between the two transatlantic economic giants, not without addressing the ubiquitous elephant in the room: the People’s Republic of China.

January 26, 2021

As of the beginning of 2021, the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement remains in crisis. The WTO Appellate Body has no sitting members due to an ongoing block on appointments, stalling members’ ability to appeal. As a result, at least sixteen disputes are in limbo.

At the same time, focus on the politics of the Appellate Body standstill has tended to overshadow problems with the WTO’s first instance of dispute resolution: the panel process. Over the past two decades, the panel stage has involved protracted and cumbersome adjudication, in some instances delaying the resolution of disputes for years. Our expert panel will seek to unpack the elements of the WTO panel process and examine its future.

Co-hosted by the Georgetown Law Institute of International Economic Law (IIEL) and the American Society of International Law (ASIL) International Economic Law Interest Group.

October 29, 2020

The financial crisis 12 years ago triggered a vigorous debate on whether large banks had become too big from the standpoint of financial stability, enforceability of law, and a sustainable political economy of financial oversight. In the meantime, the environment has changed, but the potential challenges posed by “megabanks” have not disappeared.

This webinar with the Peterson Institute of International Economic Law features IIEL Professor Anna Gelpern.

Oct 19 - Oct 22, 2020

A week of cutting edge conversations on everything from central bank digital currencies and cloud infrastructures to how to make venture capital (and fintech!) more inclusive. A truly global conference, founded by IIEL Faculty Director Chris Brummer.

Oct 7, 2020

Can the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) live up to expectations, integrating markets and overcoming fragmentation, to deliver inclusive and sustainable growth across the continent? This podcast featuring IIEL Professor Katrin Kuhlmann is part of the AIG Global Trade Series 2020.

Sep 25 - Oct 2, 2020

The Geneva Trade Week aimed to provide the international trade community with a range of spaces within which to meet, share ideas, and collaborate. This event was led by IIEL Visiting Professor Joost Pauwelyn and featured many of IIEL's experts, such as Professor Katrin Kuhlmann and Senior Fellow David Kleimann.

Sept 7 - 18, 2020

Recognizing the need for creative, research-based solutions, a group of leading academic and policy institutions from around the world co-hosted the virtual Distributed Interdisciplinary Sovereign Debt Research and Management Conference—D-DebtCon—in nine countries, spanning five continents, from September 7th through September 18th, 2020.

Each day between September 7 and September 18 featured academic and policy panels in South Africa, Italy, Argentina, Switzerland, Singapore, the United States, Barbados, the United Kingdom, and China.

September 2, 2020

On September 2, Georgetown Law’s Institute of International Economic Law and the Brookings Institution hosted an event exploring the absence of African Americans in financial regulation and the drivers behind it.

Featuring Rep. Maxine Waters (Chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee), Neel Kashkari, Harold A. Black, Sharon Y. Bowen, Paul Thornell, and U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio).

August 17, 2020

How has the pandemic affected the world's largest trading partners? IIEL's Director Marie Kasperek discusses alongside other experts in this podcast as part of the AIG Global Trade Series 2020.

July 30, 2020

In this podcast episode of the AIG Global Trade Series 2020, IIEL's Senior Fellow Jennifer Hillman discusses the potential for the WTO and the G20 to support the global economy and drug distribution during COVID-19.

July 29, 2020

In this webinar, Brookings Institution hosted the Acting Comptroller of the Currency Brian Brooks to present his ideas on how to improve America's payment system and accelerate the velocity of money.

Following a conversation with the comptroller, a panel of experts including IIEL Faculty Director Chris Brummer reacted to the comptroller's comments to offer their own takes on the payments problem and how to fix it.

July 21, 2020

In this webinar hosted by Accenture Digital and the Digital Dollar Foundation, an expert panel including Georgetown Law IIEL's Faculty Director Chris Brummer and Adjunct Faculty Member Dan Gorfine discuss the evolution of money in a new digital era.

July 9, 2020

In this London School of Economics webinar featuring IIEL Professor Anna Gelpern, the current state of Africa's debt crisis in light of the pandemic and potential solutions are discussed.

June 10, 2020

Sovereign Debt Forum experts and policy officials from the IMF and the World Bank consider the rising tide of debt distress, further aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and review historical precedents, legal and policy options for managing the crisis in low- and middle-income economies.

April 15, 2020

With confusion reigning in efforts to provide small business financing as relief from the COVID-19 pandemic, Georgetown Law's IIEL, Georgetown Center for Financial Markets and Policy, and CQ Roll Call hosted a live "town hall" with experts and representatives from the business community to brainstorm ideas as to how fintech might help assist in an economic reboot.

September 27-28, 2019

Organized by Georgetown Law professors Anna Gelpern and Adam Levitin, the Law and Macroeconomics conference featureD Fed Vice Chair Randal Quarles, former Fed Chair Janet Yellen, former Fed Governor and Georgetown Law Professor Daniel K. Tarullo, and included panels discussing inflation measurement; finance and the public interest; designing the legal structure of money; systemic implications of mortgage regulation; derivatives markets; time varying rules in financial regulation; EU fiscal rules; antitrust rulemaking; international macroeconomic policy coordination, fintech and financial regulation and more.