Over the past two decades new economic powers have arisen within the world trading system. Brazil, China, India and Mexico are becoming influential players within an international regime whose core principles, rules and procedures have been shaped by others, notably the US and the European Union, prior to the formers’ ascent. Whereas the shifts in economic power are by now well documented we know relatively little about what large emerging economies seek from the global system and how they pursue their interests within the international institutions of the global trade regime; how far they promote own regulatory agendas that differ from the positions of the traditional trade hegemons and through which institutional venues. 

Through two related projects we investigate whether a decline of EU and US influence on international trade regulation vis-à-vis emerging powers is taking place and whether and how Brazil, China, India and Mexico are conveying their growing economic weight into regulatory influence.

These projects are unique by proposing a comparative research design comparing the foreign economic policy behaviour of four emerging powers and two established hegemons in four contested fields of trade regulation. The sectors under study are (depending on the project) competition policy, intellectual property rights, technical standards and services-related labour mobility (GATS mode 4). The projects coordinated by Sandra Lavenex and Omar Serrano are embedded in a wider network including apart from political scientists also specialized trade lawyers and economists as well as associated policy practitioners and scholars from relevant international institutions and countries. 

SNIS-Project "From rule-takers to rule-makers: emerging powers in the regulation of international trade"

SNF-Project "Understanding Power Transitions in the Global Economy: Regulatory Politics in Flux"