On October 22, UN Secretary-General António Guterres cautioned that the rules-based global trading system is in danger of “derailment” as protectionism rises, tariffs spread, and trust in multilateral institutions erodes. He pointed to a surge in trade disputes, the growing weaponization of economic policy, and the widening gap between developed and developing economies as threats to global stability. Berlin’s stakes are immediate: its prosperity as the world’s third-largest exporter relies on open markets and predictable trade rules. But this is not just a German story the erosion of multilateral trade governance affects everyone, from consumers facing higher costs to businesses navigating fractured supply chains. Germany’s reliance on open markets illustrates a broader reality: as multilateral trust weakens, the ripple effects touch every trading nation.
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