From 12-17 June, trade ministers gathered in Geneva for the long-awaited 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12) and achieved agreement on a series of reforms after several years of deadlock. These include an intellectual property waiver for covid-19 vaccines, the WTO response to the pandemic, a moratorium on e-commerce duties, and the partial elimination of fisheries subsidies. But will the MC12 outcomes save the WTO from its existential crisis? What will be their long-term impact on the organisation’s dealmaking function?

To discuss all this, GC’s Senior Adviser Tiffany McDonald gives us insight on the politics behind MC12, while trade and manufacturing Associate Yi-Fang Lee provides us with a deep-dive on the TRIPS waiver. They are joined by John Cooke, Co-Chair of the Liberalisation of Trade in Services (LOTIS) Expert Advisory Group at TheCityUK, who sheds light onto MC12’s implications for businesses.

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UK foreign secretary Liz Truss has declared that nothing is off-limits in terms of sanctioning individuals to put pressure on Putin and his Ukraine policy. In this week’s podcast, we ask how far this no-holds barred approach is true, not just in Russia but also more broadly. Has Russia’s invasion of Ukraine fundamentally changed the UK’s willingness to go after “the bad guys” – and their money – in future? This would not only mean an increase in political will to designate individuals abroad, but also continued change in the UK’s framework for tackling illicit finance at home. Both would be significant for a wide range of investors and corporates.

To discuss all this, GC’s global investor services Senior Associate Felix Cazalet and Senior Practice Director Rebecca Park are joined by Charlie Loudon, who brings his unique perspective as an international legal advisor at REDRESS. REDRESS is a human rights law NGO that GC provides pro-bono support to as part of our social impact programme.

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NOTE: Top in Tech is moving to its own dedicated podcast feed starting this month. To continue receiving new episodes every month, click here to subscribe or search for Top in Tech in your podcast app!

Introducing Top in Tech, your guide for navigating and understanding the European 'tech-lash', the frontline of a new push to regulate the technology sector.

Each month, the Global Counsel team will bring you inside the latest debates, proposals, and laws shaping the conversation in Brussels, London, and across the world.

On today's episode, Senior Practice Director Conan D'Arcy is joined by Associate Director Megan Stagman and Senior Associate Jack Keevill to discuss new proposals around mobility in the UK and combatting online child abuse in the EU. What's next for the ubiquitous urban e-scooter, and how do these new proposals preview what policies we may see apply to autonomous vehicles? How are companies and governments balancing efforts to protect victims of child abuse while still maintaining consumer privacy?

You can find more insights from the Global Counsel technology, media, and telecoms team by clicking here

.If you or your business has any questions or concerns about the topics covered in today's episode, do not hesitate to get in touch using any of the contact links above.

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After almost a decade of centre-right leadership, Anthony Albanese emerged as Australia’s new Prime Minister following this week's elections. Yet uncertainty remains; Albanese's Labor Party ran on few policy specifics beyond a repudiation of incumbent Scott Morrison's guarded approach to climate, and surging turnout for the Greens prevented them from securing an outright majority. And it's not just Australians waiting anxiously to see how Albanese will govern---he is leading Australia in a moment of global uncertainty. How will he navigate Australia as its relationship with China remains tense, and what does he see as Australia's role in the broader international community?

This week on the podcast, Global Counsel Senior Director Stephen Adams discusses the results of the election and its broader implications with GC Senior Adviser Tiffany McDonald and Australian political expert Nick Rowley. McDonald brings her experience as an Australian diplomat to answer some of the big questions around Australia's foreign policy both in the ASEAN region and internationally, while Rowley provides a domestic policy perspective and explains what changes may be in store for climate policy. Finally, they discuss what businesses should expect from Australia's new leadership.

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Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there’s been a lot of talk about the return of history. Suddenly, the post-1989 assumptions that liberal democracy and open markets were the single models on which most countries would converge now looks at best naïve.

What if geopolitics never went away? What if many of the most important policy struggles of the digital era have been taking place in the technical arenas far from public view?

In each episode of this new GC Podcast mini-series, International Policy Practice Lead Jon Garvie will explore the policy debates – from infrastructure to cyber-security to sanctions – that will be fundamental to the business operating environment in the years ahead.

In this first episode, Jon is joined by Tomas Lamanauskas, a 20-year veteran of the ICT area with stints in public and private positions across the world. He is currently campaigning to be the new Deputy Secretary-General of the International Telecommunications Union, often described as the most important international body you’ve never heard of.

Jon and Tomas discuss the importance of the ITU, the challenges of regulating emerging tech, and the impact of Western polarisation amid challenges from Russia and China.

Stay tuned in the coming months for episodes exploring the geopolitics of infrastructure, multilateralism, and more. For more discussion on the shifting global alignment, check out the archived sessions from our flagship event from earlier this year, "The Politics of Decoupling."

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The modern internet runs on the free flow of data across the Atlantic ocean. But as policymakers push toward different systems for the regulation of data collection, what are the implications of a decoupling of data between the US and EU?

This week on the podcast, GC Director Tom White convenes a panel of experts and policymakers from Brussels to Washington to discuss the challenges posed by transatlantic data flows.

Speakers

• MEP Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou, Vice-chair of European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade
• John Verdi, Senior Vice President of Policy at the Future of Privacy Forum
• Guido Lobrano, Director General, Europe, I T I - The Information Technology Industry Council
• Lucas Buthion, Policy Director, Scaleway

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As technology advances and the world pushes to reduce emissions, are we entering a new age of nuclear power?

Senior Adviser Geoffrey Norris hosts a roundtable discussion to discuss recent developments with Associate Saskia Giraud-Reeves and Adviser Stephanie Grumet, both of whom have recently written blogs for Global Counsel exploring nuclear power. Plus, the panel is joined by Associate Giovanni Scomparin to learn how the European Union's nuclear strategy is being affected by the war in Ukraine.

You can find Stephanie and Saskia's blogs---along with a look at the Southeast Asian perspective on nuclear energy---by clicking here: https://www.global-counsel.com/insights

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On Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron won a second term in the French elections. But his victory is complicated by the record showing of his far-right opponent, Marine Le Pen. With legislative elections looming in June and the intensifying Russia-Ukraine war threatening European cooperation, what did Sunday night tell us about the future of France?

On this episode, Denzil Davidson, former advisor to Theresa May and Adviser on EU and multilateral policy at Global Counsel, is joined by Olivier Costa, CNRS Senior Researcher, and Executive Editor, Journal of European Integration. They discuss what the results mean for domestic policy and politics and the implications of the election results on France’s agenda for the end of its presidency at the Council of the EU.

Speakers:

• Denzil Davidson - Adviser. View more insights from Denzil here.
• Olivier Costa, CNRS Senior Researcher, and Executive Editor, Journal of European Integration

This is an archive of one of our digital events, recorded on April 27th, 2022. For more information on upcoming events and to register, visit www.global-counsel.com/events

The views expressed in this podcast can be attributed to the named participant(s) only.

The Global Counsel Podcast is produced by Matilda Milne, Tom Bunting and Carolina Saludes.

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‘Top in tech’ is a monthly episode from the GC tech policy team. Each month, the team lift the lid on the latest in Europe’s ‘techlash’, identifying where the debate is heading in London and Brussels, the politics behind it, and what this might mean for the apps and online services we use every day. 

Conan D’Arcy, Senior Practice Lead for TMT is joined by Senior Associates Lilah Howson-Smith and Franck Thomas for a discussion on Europe's new regulatory proposals, and how they will change data privacy.

The conversation focuses on: 

• The much-discussed Online Safety Bill, which is closer than ever but still inspiring heated debate.
• A renewed EU-US Data Privacy Shield. After numerous false starts, are the two powers nearing a new agreement on shared data?

Speakers on this podcast: 

Conan D’Arcy, Senior Practice Lead, Technology, Media and Telecoms. See more insights from Conan here 

Lilah Howson-Smith, Senior Associate, UK Politics and Policy. See more insights from Lilah here

Franck Thomas, Senior Associate for Technology, Media, and Telecoms. See more insights from Franck here

For more GC insights on technology, media and telecoms, click here 

The views expressed in this podcast can be attributed to the named participant(s) only. 

The Global Counsel Podcast is produced by Matilda Milne, Tom Bunting and Carolina Saludes. 

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The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a light on the fragility of the public health systems that we take for granted. As the virulence of the pandemic begins to abate across much of the world, how exposed – or prepared – are counties for the impact of war, economic sanctions, political isolation and new migratory patterns on existing health structures and systems? 

This week on the podcast, our Health and Life Sciences team dives into the connection between geopolitical instability and the global health system. To get an inside perspective, they are joined by Dr. Ben Rolfe, an independent consultant in global public health and formerly the founding CEO of Communicable Disease Threats Initiative in Singapore.

Speakers

• Rosie Hill, Senior Associate. See more insights from Rosie here.
• Mark Loughridge, Senior Associate. See more insights from Mark here.
• Yi-Fang Lee, Associate. See more insights from Yi-Fang here.
• Dr. Ben Rolfe, independent consultant in global public health.

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