Geneva, Switzerland. Safe Bulkers CEO Polys Hajioannou said shipping must be treated as one of the foundations of Europe’s resilience agenda during the EU Trade Policy Retreat held in Geneva in the context of Cyprus’ Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Retreat organisation and focus
The retreat was organised by the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Cyprus to the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation, bringing together officials, academics and industry representatives to discuss the future of global trade, supply chains and Europe’s strategic role in an increasingly fragmented world.
Session on supply chains
Hajioannou, who is also president of the Cyprus Union of Shipowners, took part in the second working session focused on resilient and open supply chains in a fragmenting world. The session also included Andrew Wilson, Deputy Secretary General for Policy at the International Chamber of Commerce, and Nicolas Maystre, Senior Economic Affairs Officer at UNCTAD’s Macroeconomic and Development Policies Branch.
Session on the WTO after MC14
The first working session focused on the future of the World Trade Organization after MC14, including reform, fragmentation and the rise of plurilateralism. It featured contributions from Maria Martin-Prat, Ambassador of the European Union to the WTO, and Petros C. Mavroidis, Edwin B. Parker Professor of Foreign and Comparative Law at Columbia Law School.
Hajioannou’s remarks on resilience and priorities
Hajioannou said Europe is being asked to rethink “how it trades, secures supply chains, competes, and decarbonises, all at once”. He said that, at a time of “unprecedented disruption”, resilience has become both the organising principle of global trade and a key driver of the European Union’s future choices.
He said resilience is not built only through government frameworks, but also “on the bridge of every ship that keeps moving when the world becomes harder to navigate”. Referring to Europe’s current priorities, Hajioannou said the EU is focusing on strategic autonomy, reducing dependencies, protecting the single market, and advancing the green and digital transitions.
What role should shipping play in the European Union’s approach to resilience and supply chains?