Trade and Investment

The Trade and Investment Working Group concentrates on issues related to strengthening trade and investment mechanisms of the G20 member-states, promoting the growth of global trade, the coordination and cooperation among investment policies, supporting multilateral negotiations and inclusive global value gain chains.

About the WG

Brasil believes that international trade and investments have a key role to fulfill in the achievement of the common goals of the G20 members in order to promote development and to guarantee economic progress and social inclusion. 

The priorities of the Brazilian presidency of the G20 focus on building a more just world through the promotion of sustainable development on its three pillars: social, environmental and economic. The strategic guidelines proposed by the Brazilian presidency are:

1 - Trade and Sustainability: As affirmed by the G20 leaders in the New Delhi Declaration (2023), commercial and environmental policies must be mutually supportive, consistent with the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and with multilateral environmental agreements, and must not represent unjustifiable obstacles to trade. Under these conditions, international trade can be an important instrument to foster growth, reduce poverty and protect the environment across the world.
2 - Sustainable Development in Investment Agreements: The retraction of global flows of direct foreign investment (DFI) following the Covid-19 pandemic affected, in particular, the developing countries, and especially those of relative lower development, highlighting once again the significant role of DFIs in trade, economic growth and the ability to reach the Sustainable Development Goals. 
3 - Women and International Trade: In line with the goal of the Brazilian presidency of the G20 of building a more just world, the WG will debate the issue of “women and international trade”. Women face additional obstacles when participating in international trade, ranging from discrimination to limited access to resources and opportunities. There is a need to expand development opportunities to underrepresented groups and to accelerate progress towards inclusive trade.
4 - Reforming the WTO and Strengthening the Multilateral Trade System: The WG will continue to advance the discussions about the political support of the G20 to the reform of the WTO and the strengthening of the Multilateral Trade System. To Brasil, it is essential to reinforce the notion of development as an integral part of the WTO reform agenda and as a guiding principle for negotiations.

History of the WG

The Trade and Investment Working Group (TIWG) was established in 2016. Brasil has participated actively, cooperatively and consistently since the group's first meeting. The Brazilian participation reflects the country's historical position in defending multilateralism, the increase of participation of developing countries in trade and investment international flows and the promotion of sustainable development on its three pillars (social, economic and environmental). 

In this sense, in its interventions in the WG as well as in subsequent Trade and Investment ministerial meetings of the G20, Brasil has defended the improvement of the Multilateral Trade System, centered at the WTO, and the strengthening of cooperation among members of the G20 on issues related to development, taking into consideration that the challenges faced by international trade disproportionately affect the developing countries.

See also