WITA Webinars

WITA's USMCA Review Series: Driving North American Trade

At this Zoom event, speakers discussed the importance of the U.S. – Mexico -Canada Agreement to the U.S. automotive sector.  How has the Agreement succeeded in meeting its goals of driving greater investment in manufacturing and jobs in the U.S.? What has it meant for employment across the sector, and in bringing automotive supply chains back to the region.  Speakers will also discuss where improvements could be made as part of the review, including how to modernize the Agreement for the U.S. to better compete with China. Featured Speakers: Matt Blunt, President, American Automotive Policy Council Cody Lusk, President and CEO, American International Automobile Dealers Association Paul McCarthy, President & CEO, MEMA – the Vehicle Suppliers Association Jennifer Safavian, President & CEO, Autos Drive America Moderator: Arun Venkataraman, Partner, Covington; former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service

Thank You for Your Attention to this Matter: The Trade Reporters – One Year Since “Liberation Day”

On April 2nd, 2025 President Trump Announced his “Liberation Day” Tariffs and to paraphrase Hamilton (the musical, not the statesman) the world of trade turned upside-down. This webinar, WITA welcomed back the Trade Reporters to discuss this monumental year in trade. Featured Speakers: Shawn Donnan, Senior Writer, Bloomberg David Lynch, Global Economics Correspondent, The Washington Post Ana Swanson, Trade and International Economics Correspondent, New York Times Koen Verhelst, Trade Reporter, POLITICO Europe Moderator: Michael Smart, Managing Director, Rock Creek Global Advisors; former Director for International Trade and Investment, National Security Council, The White House

Live from Yaoundé, Cameroon! WTO MC14 Pop-Up Briefing

Thank you for joining WITA for a unique pop-up industry briefing live streamed from the World Trade Organization’s 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Featured Speakers Live in Yaoundé: Alice Slayton Clark, Senior VP of Trade, Investment and Digital Policy, United States Council for International Business Isabelle Icso, Executive Director, International Policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Special Online Guests: Angela Ellard, Senior Advisor (non-resident), Center for Strategic and International Studies; former Deputy Director General, World Trade Organization Maria Pagan, former Deputy United States Trade Representative, and United States Ambassador to the WTO

The European Approach to Dealing with Trade Uncertainty: WITA International & WTCA

Thank you for joining WITA International for this virtual panel during the World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) European Conference on Tuesday, March 24 at 9:30 AM ET / 2:30 PM CET which discussed “The European Approach to Dealing with Trade Uncertainty.” Experts discussed developments in European trade policy and regulatory trends that shape the global business environment. Featured Speakers: Welcome by Crystal Eden, Executive Director-Member Services, World Trade Centers Association Introduction by Kenneth I. Levinson, Chief Executive Officer, WITA – The International Trade Association Anna Jerzewska, Founder, Trade & Borders Kate Kalutkiewicz, Senior Managing Director, McLarty Associates Eveline Kolk, Managing Director, World Trade Centers The Hague and Rotterdam Atli Stannard, Special Counsel, Covington & Burling LLP Brussels Moderator: Penny Naas, Senior Vice President, Innovation and Competitiveness, German Marshall Fund of the United States

WTO Matters: MC-14 and What Comes Next

As WTO Members prepare for the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Cameroon this March, WITA International hosted a global webinar series: WTO Matters. The series explored the core functions of the WTO, reforms needed to keep the institution effective and relevant, and the key policy issues shaping debates.The WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference (MC 14) takes place in Cameroon from March 26 to 29. To conclude WITA’s WTO Matters Series, on March 17th we discuss key issues on the MC 14 agenda, including the moratorium on duties for electronic transmissions and efforts to more fully integrate small economies into the multilateral trading system. Panelists will also discussed a post-MC 14 work-plan on WTO reform, and how the organization stays relevant in a time of volatility and uncertainty.Featuring:Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General, World Trade OrganizationPanel Discussion:Jake Colvin, President, National Foreign Trade Council; Executive Director, Global Innovation Forum Cecilia Malmström, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics; former European Commissioner for TradePenny Naas, Senior Vice President, Innovation and Competitiveness, German Marshall Fund of the United StatesAmbassador Tan Hung Seng, Singapore Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the WTO and WIPO, Permanent Mission of SingaporeModerator: Angela Ellard, Senior Advisor (non-resident), Center for Strategic and International Studies; former Deputy Director General, World Trade Organization