Eva Sjögren: To build bridges between academia and policy is more important than ever

Eva Sjögren shares her reflections on how Europe can be turned into an economic powerhouse. Her experience in the government offices of a small EU member state has taught her how to turn size into an advantage in EU trade policy.

What are the main challenges and opportunities when trying to connect academic trade research with political decisions at national and EU levels?

It is always a challenge to build bridges between academia and policy, perhaps even more so today when everything seems to move faster than ever. But it is also more important than ever – in a world where not only trade theory but also trade research seems to be overlooked – to remind policymakers of the fundamentals of trade. That means that academic trade research needs to reach policymakers, which we all have an obligation to strive to accomplish.

Sweden is often seen as a strong supporter of open trade in the EU. What influence can smaller member states have on EU trade policy today?

Sweden has a longstanding history of supporting free trade within the EU. We are small, but we matter. When it comes to having an impact on EU policy, both in trade policy and in other areas, size can give you certain advantages. However, it is also true that if you put forward creative ideas at an early stage, this gives you influence irrespective of your size. In other words, it is not only about size, but also about knowledge, experience and trust.

I am of course a bit biased, but I would say Sweden has these things when it comes to trade policy, and that we have been able to make our mark on EU policy. For example, we were early in putting the single market and external trade policy at the centre of the EU’s competitiveness agenda – long before the Letta and Draghi reports. Sweden has also been at the forefront of pushing for the conclusion of new EU free trade agreements (FTA), including the EU-Mercosur FTA, which is hopefully soon in force. We were also early in speaking of the need to align the EU more closely with the CPTPP on trade issues, something that is now starting to happen.

Eli Heckscher and Bertil Ohlin helped develop the economic case for open trade. Do you think their ideas still influence Swedish trade policy?

I would say that Swedish trade policy is built on what we have seen works, based in trade theory and supported by empirical research. Our message is clear – trade has made economies, countries and people better off across the world.

What are you hoping to gain from this conference?

As I said, it is more important than ever to talk about and highlight the importance and benefits of trade. The dialogue between academia and policymakers needs to be strong for us to get it right, and this conference is an excellent opportunity for that.