Migration, Trade and Investment: Towards a New Common Concern of Humankind

Abstract

This article explores linkages between migration, international trade and investment from both economics and legal perspectives. The literature review reveals that the migration-investmenttrade triangle shows complex interdependencies, both in terms of substitution and complementarities, though its components remain largely separated both institutionally and legally. The 2018 Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration addresses a number of trade and investment-related issues. Recent treaty developments also encourage considering the three in a more integrated manner. The article suggests undertaking such an integration effort under the emerging principle of Common Concern of Humankind and sets out a number of preliminary ideas suggesting ways in which migration could be addressed in policies on international trade regulation and in the field of investment protection. Migration, trade, investment, Global Compact, Common Concern of Humankind