Joint HKIMR, ECB and BOFIT Changing Global Trade and Financial Linkages Conference 2026- Call for papers

Hong Kong Institute for Monetary and Financial Research (HKIMR), the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Bank of Finland Institute for Emerging Economies (BOFIT) are jointly organizing a conference on “Changing Global Trade and Financial Linkages”, which will be held on 28-29 January 2026 in Hong Kong.

The global economy is undergoing significant transformation, driven by the emergence of new tariff barriers, geoeconomic fragmentation, and rapid financial and technological innovation. These changes are reshaping global trade and financial linkages, with notable implications for Asia’s economic relationship with the euro area. 

The rise of new financial actors in the digital asset space may start to add an extra dimension to global monetary systems, presenting challenges to policymakers in maintaining financial stability. This conference will examine these evolving linkages and their broader policy implications for Asia and the euro area. 

We invite submissions on topics that include (but are not limited to):

• Tariffs and the changing trade patterns of China and the wider Asian region
• The future of the international monetary system
• Digital assets and the influence of financial innovation on the global monetary system and financial stability
• The implications of technology-driven growth on labour markets
• Shifting risks in the private-public debt nexus
• Inflation dynamics, monetary policy coordination and spillovers
• Geoeconomic fragmentation and its implication for capital flows and the use of different currencies 

We invite authors to submit completed papers or extended abstracts. The deadline for submissions is 31 October 2025. Authors of accepted papers will be informed by 22 November 2025.

All submissions should be sent by email to hkimr@hkma.gov.hk in PDF format, using the authors’ names as the file name, and enter "Submission for HKIMR-ECB-BOFIT Joint Conference on 28-29 January 2026" as the email subject line.

The papers will be selected based on originality, analytical rigor, and policy relevance. Preference will be given to completed papers.

The conference will take place in person. Financial support for travel and accommodation costs might be available for presenters and discussants from academia.