Coordinators:
Guillaume Gérout Suominen (University of Helsinki)
Jacob Kotcho Bongkwaha (Commission of the Economic Community of Central African States)

Description:
The practice of preferential rules of origin negotiations, the backbone of tariff liberalisation eligibility under free trade agreements, rests on principles more than half a century old, codified in the Kyoto Convention of 1973. Yet global production and manufacturing structures have changed significantly.

Rethinking this practice poses a conceptual challenge. Although theorised as a device to prevent trade deflection, rules of origin serve in practice as a secondary policy instrument, since each negotiated rule is a compromise balancing the domestic interests of the parties. Customs union and economic integration theories, the analytical bedrocks of trade negotiation practice, have not theorised them as such. If rules of origin are policy instruments, the question becomes which development they serve, and for whom.

This working group explores the conceptual, theoretical, and empirical linkages between rules of origin and development, with a focus on practice-informed research. It invites papers along two strands. The first, industrial development and economic diversification, asks how rules of origin serve industrial policy, local content and value-chain integration. The second, people and nature, asks whether rules of origin can serve social and environmental objectives.

The working group welcomes sectoral and regional case studies from any region, comparative and theoretical work, and contributions from negotiators, customs officials and private-sector practitioners. Convened by intergovernmental trade negotiation practitioners, it aims to initiate a wider scholarly conversation on rules of origin as development policy.

Type of call:
Call for papers or extended abstracts

Participation mode:
Hybrid

Submission details & funding note: 

• Submissions and inquiries to be sent to the coordinator
• Abstract word count limit (e.g., max 300 words) and whether full papers or extended abstracts are required later.
• Funding / Travel Assistance Note: Participants able to self-sponsor their participation are encouraged to join on-site. We will organise a hybrid setting to ensure everyone can participate.

Contacts:
Guillaume Gérout Suominen, guillaume.gerout@helsinki.fi
Cc: Jacob Kotcho Bongkwaha, jbkotcho@yahoo.fr