The Geneva Consensus: Making Trade Work for All

As Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Pascal Lamy chaired the Doha Round of negotiations and witnessed a rapidly changing international trade environment. In his first book since leaving the WTO, Lamy reflects on his time there and outlines his views on the significance of open trade in generating global economic growth, reducing poverty and creating jobs around the world. He argues that trade can only act as a motor for growth if the correct mix of domestic and international economic and social policies is in place. This approach – the 'Geneva Consensus' – requires deeper cooperation and policy coherence between the international organizations active in setting international economic, social and political policies. The Geneva Consensus describes the ongoing efforts to put this into effect, calling for more effective global governance to tackle the challenges of globalization. It also examines relationships between trade and the key social, economic and political issues of our time.

Pascal Lamy was Director-General of the World Trade Organization from 2005 until 2013. Between 1999 and 2004, he was Commissioner for Trade at the European Commission under Romano Prodi. Dr Lamy holds degrees from the Paris-based École des Hautes Études Commerciales (HEC), from the Institut d'Etudes Politiques (IEP) and from the École Nationale d'Administration (ENA). He began his career in the French civil service at the Inspection Générale des Finances and at the Treasury. He then became an advisor to the Finance Minister Jacques Delors, and subsequently to Prime Minister Pierre Mauroy.