LSE Consulting has a dedicated Trade & Investment Hub to assist policymakers and companies in addressing the challenges to the current trading system

We explore the technical aspects of trade agreements, legal requirements and the business benefits, but also the wider related implications of trade and investment policies.

To address current challenges, we have expanded our focus to newly emerging areas such as digital trade, data rules, and sustainability. Additionally, we explore topics at the intersection between trade policy and other areas, like global governance, finance, geopolitics, and security, which have become more relevant for understanding the trade-offs companies and governments need to make.

Looking at the trade agreement between the EU and Japan, for example, what opportunities does it open up for trade and investment? And what challenges remain? Another recent project studies the impact of Brexit on the UK dairy sector, how it might affect consumers and how it might change costs along the supply chain.

With reference to wider trends in the area, our attention is dedicated to the increase and impact of preferential trade agreements and how compatible they are with existing multilateral agreements from a legal and policy-implementation standpoint. We are also actively exploring the future of key institutions such as the World Trade Organisation. Further, we tackle questions regarding the relation between domestic regulatory policy and international liberalisation. Should trade agreements address divergent regulatory policies at national level? If so, in which ways?

LSE Consulting Lead: Dr Elitsa Garnizova

Who we work with..

We draw on experts from LSE’s International Trade Policy Unit, Department of International Relations, Department of International Development, Department of Management, and Centre for Economic Performance, as well as a large number of external collaborators.

Areas of expertise

What we do:

Assessing regulatory, economic, social, environmental and human rights impact of trade and investment agreements and engaging with stakeholders via different channels.

Examples of our work:

Sustainability Impact Assessment in Support of Negotiations with Partner Countries in Eastern and Southern Africa in view of Deepening the Existing Interim Economic Partnership Agreement
European Commission - DG Trade, 2020

Vulnerabilities of Supply Chains Post-Brexit
European Commission - DG Trade, 2020

Sustainability Impact Assessment in Support of the Association Agreement Negotiations between the European Union and Mercosur
European Commission - DG Trade, 2020

The impact of Brexit on the UK dairy sector
Arla Foods UK, 2018

Sustainability Impact Assessment in Support of the EU-MERCOSUR AA Negotiations
European Commission - DG for Trade

Sustainability Impact Assessment in Support of the Negotiations for the Modernization of the Trade Pillar of the Global Agreement with Mexico
European Commission - DG for Trade

Trade Sustainability Impact Assessment of the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and Japan
European Commission – DG for Trade, 2016

How Have EU's Trade Agreements Impacted Consumers?
Economic and Social Research Council, 2016

Core experts:

> Dr Swati Dhingra
> Dr Elitsa Garnizova
> Hosuk Lee-Makiyama
> Professor Gianmarco Ottaviano
> Ken Heydon
> Dr Thomas Sampson
> Professor Ken Shadlen
> Dr Stephen Woolcock

What we do:

Providing studies to support policy-making in relation to ongoing and potential trade and investment negotiations, comparative studies, analysis of regulatory issues and policy-making capacity.

Examples of our work:

At the Nexus of Trade & Investment: The EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement
Government of Japan, 2018

Ex-ante Study of the EU-Australia and EU-New Zealand Trade and Investment Agreements
European Commission - DG for Trade, 2017

Trade policy expertise to European Parliament (Research Network to provide foreign policy expertise – Lot 7 Trade)

Core experts:

> Dr Andrew Lang
> Dr Elitsa Garnizova
> Dr Jan Kleinheisterkamp
> Dr Stephen Woolcock
> Hosuk Lee-Makiyama

What we do:

Capacity-building and in-service training programmes to strengthen policy-making on trade and investment policy issues and organising workshops, events to engage with the wider public.

Examples of our work:

Capacity Building within the Caribbean Forum of ACP States (CARIFORUM) in the Areas of Competition, Public Procurement and Customs and Trade Facilitation in Support of the Implementation of the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement

Training to the European Trade Union Institute on “What's new in the political economy?”

Core experts:

> Dr Steve Coulter
> Dr Bob Hancké
> Dr Stephen Woolcock