FMG Strategic Review 2022

I. Has FMG made a difference and delivered its mission to promote

multilateralism and shared growth within the MTS?
1. Participants in general agree that FMG has achieved its mission and played a
useful role in stimulating the discussion for multilateralism and MTS.
2. Some member suggests that FMG stakeholders should be consulted about
this question.

II. What have we not done in the past, and how can we do better in the years
ahead?
1. Participants suggest that FMG should strengthen its role in Geneva by
communicating ideas, organizing contextualized events and engaging with
critics.
2. Some suggest that FMG should react quickly to the new updates and ensure
that its sessions are in tone with ongoing pertinent WTO negotiations and
discussions.
3. Some suggest that FMG should go beyond Geneva and beyond friends of
MTS to achieve a more comprehensive view, e.g., by organizing capital-
based evens engaging local governments, by blending bilateralism with its
agenda, and discuss other multilateral issues related to other international
organizations.
4. Some participants suggest that FMG needs more interaction with the
receivers of its wisdom through more diversified medium such as interview
series, podcast and other social media, particularly to enhance its impact on
younger generations.
5. Some suggest that an annual assessment will be useful by FMG and its
stakeholders to make sure it’s on the right track.
6. Some suggest that FMG should try to connect with private sector and media.
7. A few suggest that FMG should not overload its agenda and should leave
some space for its members to reflect and to provide meaningful inputs.

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III. What should be the ideal size of FMG, and what criteria are needed for
admitting new FMG members? Based on the FMG Statutes and existing
practice, new members are recommended by existing FMG members, have
relevant experience and expertise, have no conflict of interest, and no direct
affiliation with national governments or international institutions. Decisions
on admitting new members are subject to approval by the Board.
1. Views are different: some participants think that FMG should be small
enough to be meaningful but large enough to reflect the breadth of views,
while some others believe that FMG should maintain current criteria and set
no limits on candidates, including public sectors, retirees, private sectors,
public policy communities and so on.
2. Some participants suggest that a core group and sub-groups could be set up,
with the former to manage, organize and evaluate, and the later for with
institutional linkages.

IV. How to improve FMG diversity, including in respect of gender, geography,

and youth representation?
1. Participants agree that diversity of FMG members is important but should not
be pursued at the expense of qualification. Somme suggest that one member
be designated to be in charge of diversity.
2. Participants suggest that more young experts especially young women, and
more from Asia and Africa, could be included for the balance of age, gender
and geography.
3. For potential young members, some participants suggest that certain
mechanism should be put in place for senior members to act as mentors, to
pass on knowledge, and to ensure that young members can contribute. A few
suggest that a sub-group named “Young Professionals”, e.g., under age 45,
can be established.

V. Does FMG need to plan its publications with its own label, instead of

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Email Address: info@fmg-geneva.org
 random publications by individual members? Is it possible to get funding
for that purpose?
1. Participants suggest that FMG could consider to organize its own
publications including short monographs, analysis on pertinent issues such as
industrial policies, subsidies, etc.
2. Some suggest that FMG could also issue briefs and summaries of its sessions
to facilitate the reception of its stakeholders, and cooperate with capitals to
issue its publications in both English and local language.
3. Some participants point out that, to do the above, extra funding is needed.

VI. Other than voluntary donations by FMG members, does FMG need to raise
funding for its future activities and, if yes, how?
1. Majority of participants suggest that, other than the annual donation of 100
CHF by its members, FMG should seek proper funding to better structure its
work and to enhance its impact.
2. Some suggest that FMG needs a specific plan to raise funding, including
through organizing joint events with private sector or some foundations.
3. A few suggest that FMG needs to have a process to get itself up to date, to
organize its events in a more structured manner and more on issues that
matter to potential sponsors.
4. A few suggest that FMG could consider to register as NGO in US and UK to
make it easier to seek funding.
5. A few refers to the different global situation and the difficulties to seek
funding from traditional donors on WTO and trade issues. They also point to
the investment needed in terms of resources for the preparation, drafting and
marketing of the work plan and funding request. It is suggested that FMG
Board members, and also FMG members in a position to contribute, can talk
to potential donors, e.g., Geneva missions, to test any interest in funding
FMG and, if positive, FMG can then start investing in preparing and
marketing the work plan and funding request.

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Email Address: info@fmg-geneva.org
VII. Other issues
1. Participants suggest some specific issues for future FMG discussions, which
include: deglobalization; regulation and supply chains, weaponization of
trade, subsidies, fisheries subsidies, e-commerce and digital economy and
their relations to sustainability, trade for peace, deglobalization, deforestation.
2. Some suggest that FMG “trade policy previews” (TP-Ps) could include some
developing countries such as Turkey, and some develop countries such as
Japan.
3. Some suggest that FMG could talk to Ministers or Ambassadors by asking
well-drafted questions on what they mean by reforming the WTO.
4. Some suggest that FMG could hold sessions in a more flexible manner so as
to accommodate its members at different time zones

- Minutes by Nathalie YAN, January 2023.

Annex:

1. Members who have participated:

(1) 13/12/2022
Mercedes Araoz
Clemens Boonekamp
Daniel Crosby
Simon Evenett
Jonathan T. Fried
Stuart Harbinson
Alejandro Jara
Patrick Low
Xiankun Lu
Hamid Mamdouh
Fernando de Mateo
Victor Do Prado

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Sherry Stephenson
John Weekes
Alan Wolff
Tu Xinquan

(2) 14/12/2022
Daniel Crosby
Stuart Harbinson
Alejandro Jara
Patrick Low
Xiankun Lu
Hamid Mamdouh
Mia Mikic
Michitaka Nakatomi

2. Members who have provided responses in writing:

Bernard Hoekman
Mia Mikic
Sherry Stephenson
Alan Wolff

3. Members absent and who have not provided writing response:

Axel Addy, Richard Baldwin, Wendy Cutler, Peter Draper, Deborah Elms, Eunice
Huang, Mohan Kumar, Cecilia Malmstrom, Sergio Marchi, Mario Matus, Maxim
Medvedkov, Pradeep S Mehta, Jan Yves Remy, Evan Rogerson, Hector Torres, Peter
Ungphakorn, Guillermo Valles, Thu-Lang Tran Wasescha, Jayashree Watal

https://fmg-geneva.org/
Route du Lac 15A, 1246 Corsier, Geneva, Switzerland
Email Address: info@fmg-geneva.org