Remembering David Kleimann
The trade community mourns the loss of David Kleimann, a formidable trade expert and friend. David was most recently at S-Curve Economics, but also held posts at ODI, Bruegel, and Georgetown Law, among others. His research sat at the intersection of international trade law, EU external economic governance, and climate policy. For those of us who encountered David’s earlier work, you will recall his excellent analysis on the institutional architecture of EU trade policy after the Lisbon Treaty. He also wrote about PTAs, and the trade-offs between plurilateral and bilateral agreements, looking, for example, at the case of ASEAN. More recently, his research covered timely debates on trade and climate, where he became a leading expert in the EU’s CBAM, the U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs under Section 232, and the growth of green industrial policy. David’s sharp analysis on the trade impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act were particularly memorable. He regularly contributed insightful commentary to the trade debates, and if you didn’t have a chance to ever meet him, I am almost certain that you came across his commentary in The New York Times, The Economist, the Financial Times, Handelsblatt, The Telegraph, Politico, and the Hill, among others.
I met David online before I met him in person. In 2016, I read his paper on “The Signing, Provisional Application, and Conclusion of Trade and Investment Agreements in the EU: The Case of CETA and Opinion 2/15.” I was a rising trade geek in Washington, covering North American and Transatlantic trade, as well as WTO issues. I reached out to David on what was then Twitter to ask him about his paper, and he responded right away. We had a great exchange. In the months that followed we would send each other messages about the state of trade policy, the most recent academic and policy papers, and our shared desire to connect with other folks that wanted to be a positive force for change.
It wasn’t until June 2017 that we finally met in person at a conference at the Graduate Institute in Geneva. One evening after the conference we hung out at the local haunt many expats will know – the Mr. Pickwick Pub – with Holger Hestelmeyer – where over bags of chips and beer we laughed through the evening despite the conversation focusing on the tectonic shifts in U.S. trade policy at that time. Holger also encountered David during the conference in the most cheerful of moods working to the very last second to refine a presentation he was about to give.
In 2019, when David was considering whether or not to come to DC, I made the case for it – ”there’s always something going on!” I said. Over the years, we stayed in touch, would send each other messages about “that silly trade NATO idea” before “economic security” became a buzzword. We would often get into deep discussions about the structural and political obstacles to new trade arrangements and cracked jokes about whether the transatlantic trade conflict would continue to sell well.
These conversations continued in parallel to the great trade community that David helped build online, first through a Twitter chat and then on WhatsApp. He knew this was cool before anyone else did. David was passionate about trade policy and wanted to connect with others that were too. He was a stickler for providing evidence in a debate, and wanted folks to engage with each other for the purpose of generating ideas to make the world a bit better.
What I remember most about David was his authenticity. He told you what he thought, and he would argue with you about the nitty gritty details of an idea until you were downright exhausted, and then you’d hang out over some good snacks and a drink. He taught me a lot about being true to who you are, and exemplified what you look for in a friend – someone that you not only enjoy hanging out with, but who lets you simply be yourself. I will miss him dearly.
I also know that I’m not the only one that had such experiences with David. The international trade community is surprisingly small, but spread across the world – and David was known by many. I asked a few folks to send me their recollections of David, and I share them below.
S-Curve Economics and the Green Trade Network (Institute for European Environmental Policy) will hold a memorial ceremony in honour of David. The ceremony will be held in a hybrid format, both in Brussels at Norrsken House (Rue du Commerce 72, 1000 Brussels) and online via Teams on Tuesday 14 July, at 3.30pm CEST. To register to attend in-person or online, please use this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1992823333235/?aff=oddtdtcreator.
Rob Francis, Borderlex:
One of my first jobs as a journalist was to interview David. I remember being quite intimidated but he was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. Whenever I contacted him afterwards he would always give a comment, even if he was super busy. And the comment was always on point and sharp. Just what we needed. He got me on the original Twitter group even though I knew nothing about trade (some things never change) and perhaps more importantly kept me on it. Later he would invite me out for beers but I could rarely go. How I regret that now. A great loss to the trade policy community, but also just a truly nice guy.
Mona Paulsen, LSE:
I will remember David for how unapologetically adamant he was that the discourse move beyond assessments of CBA compatibility with WTO rules. He advocated fervently for work demonstrating that the multilateral trading system could enhance CBA design and function. He created a space for daily engagement and shared experiences among our community. I will continue to make room for such a space as his legacy.
Simon Lester, WorldTradeLaw.net:
What always stood out to me about David was how knowledgeable he was at such a young age. When I first met him, I assumed he was much older, and it wasn't until his tragic and untimely death that I realized just how young he was. I remember going to an NBA basketball game with David and Joost Pauwelyn many years ago, and David kept jokingly saying how he was in awe of hanging out with "trade law legends" like Joost and me. When he said this, I think I responded with a comment about how he was very well-respected in the field too, but I really had no idea how young he was at the time. Even as a relative youngster in a field often dominated by the old guard, he came across as an established expert. His loss means we are all missing out on a great deal in terms of substantive knowledge and discussions (along with the frequent joking around).
Amy Porges
I knew David from his COVID-era stay in Washington. He was devoted to fighting climate change. Also devoted to democracy in trade policy, and particularly to democratic process in the European Parliament. David was generous with his time and thoughts, always willing to discuss, passionate about trade law, the WTO and international institutions.
Ignacio Garcia Bercero, Bruegel:
The legacy of David can best be measured by the passion and coherence of his work. A strong commitment to the rule of law in international trade that led him to offer equally scathing and even handed criticism of the US IRA and its late epigone, the EU IAA. A principled commitment to decarbonisation, which underlined his defence of CBAM vis a vis one sided criticism together with the recognition that Common but Differentiated Responsibilities had to be given meaning through differentiated carbon pricing. And a willingness to tackle the hard issues like how to construct an effective and equitable agreement to decarbonise the steel sector. I will miss immensely my conversations with David but the legacy of his work will live on.