New trade rules for a disorderly world

High-level conference co-organised by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES) We are operating in an era where international trade is being fundamentally reshaped by geopolitical rivalry, supply-chain vulnerabilities, and growing protectionism. Trade policy has become intrinsically linked to economic security, industrial resilience, and democratic challenges. As the limits of the traditional neoliberal trade model become increasingly exposed, there is an urgent need to re-evaluate how trade policy can better serve society and defend workers' interests in a more conflictual and unstable global environment. European trade unions have discussed these challenges in a series of four online seminars. They have covered the historical perspective of EU trade policy; the interplay between trade and industrial policy for a just digital and green transition; new commodities i.e. digital trade and data governance; and most recently options for a labour-centred trade paradigm. This conference concludes the seminar series. It will focus on how the trade unions can actively shape new trade rules rather than merely reacting to the crisis of multilateralism. The discussion will explore how future EU trade agreements and diversification strategies can reduce strategic dependencies, particularly concerning partners like China, while ensuring enforceable labour rights, fair competition, and protection against social dumping. The goal is to discuss concrete ways to ensure that trade policy consistently supports decent work, collective bargaining, and a fair, rules-based multilateral order that genuinely works for workers and societies.