The Punta del Este Group is an independent network created to carry out analyzes and proposals in defense of the multilateral trade system and to reform the World Trade Organization (WTO).
It has two purposes:
Contribute -particularly in Latin America- to raising awareness of the seriousness and complexity of the current situation of the multilateral trading system, and Promote a constructive and practical debate at a global level, which helps to identify solutions.
Proposals
At the PEG we are rethinking trade multilateralism to adapt it to the new economic, political and social realities of the 21st century, convinced of the need for a rules-based system that provides predictability and legal certainty to all stakeholders.
Our first proposals differentiate between what requires an immediate solution (what is urgent) and what requires a patient process of consensus (what is important), and they are aimed at:
– avoid irreversible damage to the multilateral system.
– restore confidence and gradually create the conditions for reform.
– Process institutional changes in an organic, gradual and bottom-up manner.
More information:
- Manifiesto Peg
- Proposals Peg
- Other proposals
About us
The PEG is an independent network that does not represent any WTO member, private or public institution. Its members act in their individual capacity, on a voluntary basis and based on their direct and extensive personal experience in global, regional and bilateral trade negotiations and in the governance of institutions of the Multilateral Trading System such as the WTO, the IMF, the World Bank and UNCTAD.
Fernando de Mateo
A Mexican economist, he held various positions in the Mexican Government, at the Mexican Institute of Foreign Trade and at Banco de México. Ambassador of Mexico to the WTO (2004 to 2016), Chairman of the General Council, the DSB and the negotiating group on services. President of the OECD Trade Council. Chief negotiator in the FTAA and in the free trade agreements with the EFTA countries and Uruguay. National coordinator of the FTA with the EU. Services negotiator in NAFTA and in the GATT UR.
General Director of Evaluation of Economic Policies of the Ministry of Economy. Currently Coordinator of the Diploma in Commercial Negotiations of El Colegio de México.
Alejandro Jara
Alejandro Jara is a Chilean diplomat and lawyer. Official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile (1976-2005): General Director of International Economic Relations, High Official of Chile before APEC, negotiator of free trade agreements with Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Central America, Canada, Mexico, South Korea and Ambassador to the WTO. Deputy Director General of the WTO (2005 – 2013). Senior lawyer at King & Spalding (Geneva 2013-2016). He is currently a lawyer and independent consultant in international trade matters. He is a professor at various universities and institutions in Chile, China and Mexico.
Carlos Braga
Adjunct Professor, Fundação Dom Cabral, and General Director, Ouchy Consultoria Empresarial Ltda (Brazil); Visiting Professor, IMD (Switzerland) and Visiting Professor, El Colegio de México. He was professor of International Political Economy at IMD and director of the Evian@IMD Group (2012-15). He was Special Representative and Director for Europe, Vice Presidency of Foreign Affairs (EXT), World Bank (2011-12). At the World Bank he was also Director of Economic Policy and Debt (2008-10) and Acting Vice President and Corporate Secretary of the World Bank Group and Acting Executive Secretary of the IMF/WB Development Committee (2010). Fulbright Scholar (1988-89), Visiting Professor (1988-1998 Paul Nitze School of Advanced International Studies), Adjunct Professor of Economics (University of São Paulo 1984-91) and Principal Investigator (FIPE, São Paulo). He has a degree in Economics and Mechanical Engineering.
Anabel González
Anabel González is a senior researcher at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington DC, as well as an international consultant on trade, investment and economic development.
Previously, she was Senior Director of the Global Practice of Trade and Competitiveness of the World Bank, Minister of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica, Director of the Agriculture Division of the WTO, Senior Advisor on Trade of the IDB, and Director of the Agency for the Promotion of Investments from Costa Rica, among others.
Anabel is a member of the Global Future Council on International Trade and Investment. He has lectured in more than 60 countries around the world and writes regularly on these topics.
Hernando José Gómez
Colombian economist with knowledge and experience in trade policy, green growth, competitiveness and innovation. Independent member of the Board of Directors of Banco de la República (central bank of Colombia).
He held management positions in the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit and in the Ministry of Foreign Trade, as ambassador to the WTO and Chief Negotiator of the FTA with the United States. Director of the National Planning Department (DNP).
In the private sector, he was president of the Private Competitiveness Council (CPC) and currently directs his consulting office HJ GOMEZ SAS and is a member of the Board of Directors of Bancolombia and XM.
Paulina Nazal
Paulina Nazal is an International Consultant, member of the Foreign Policy Advisory Council of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile and member of the Panel of Experts of the Center for International Studies of the Catholic University of Chile CEIUC. Previously, she was appointed Director General of International Economic Relations (Vice Minister of Commerce), Executive Director of APEC Chile 2019, Director of Multilateral Economic Affairs and Senior Official of Chile before APEC, OECD and WTO (2014-2019). He led the negotiations of various trade agreements, such as the TPP/CPTPP and the Pacific Alliance. From 2001 to 2004 she was a consultant for Central America at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and worked as an economic analyst for Latin America at Lehman Brothers, New York (1998-2000).
Paulina Nazal has a Master’s in Applied Economics from the University of New York (USA), a degree in Economics from the University of Chile and a Diploma in Management and Economics from the Fundación Empresa Cataluña y Europa (Spain). She has been a professor of Economics, International Economics and Commercial Policy.
Héctor Torres
Argentine lawyer with knowledge of macroeconomics and finance and professional diplomat. He was a member of the Executive Board of the IMF: twice for Argentina (2004-2008 and 2016-2017) and once for Brazil (2013-2015).
He worked at the WTO providing legal advice to Appellate Body members (2001-2004); WTO Working Group on the Financial Crisis (2009-2013); responsible for technical assistance to Latin America and the Caribbean (2009-2013); Counselor in the Division of Economic Studies and Statistics (2015-2016).
Guillermo Valles
Guillermo Valles graduated with the title of Doctor of Diplomacy. He is a Uruguayan career diplomat. He was Vice Minister of Uruguay and Ambassador of Uruguay in China, the EU, Belgium and Luxembourg, the United Nations and the WTO.
He was Uruguay’s main negotiator with Mercosur from 1992 to 1996. At the WTO, he presided over the Rules negotiations for 6 years and is a regular panelist at the Dispute Settlement Body. From 2011 to 2017 he was Director of the UNCTAD Division of International Trade in Goods and Services and Commodities. He is a professor at various universities in Uruguay.
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