Beyond Borders: How Tariffs and Policy Shifts Are Reshaping Global Procurement Law

Описание: This week on Beyond the FAR, host Jessica Tillipman speaks with Professor Christopher Yukins about one of the defining procurement stories of the past year: the growing intersection of procurement law, trade policy, and international relations. As governments increasingly use tariffs, supply-chain policies, and regulatory reforms as strategic tools, procurement is no longer a domestic administrative function but a central component of global economic policy.

The episode examines how recent U.S. tariff initiatives and procurement reforms have reverberated internationally. Yukins explains that global procurement systems are deeply interconnected, and unilateral policy shifts can disrupt longstanding cooperative frameworks. He describes how foreign governments and procurement officials have reacted with uncertainty and concern, particularly regarding tariffs, industrial policy, and the perceived weakening of collaborative procurement norms.

A substantial portion of the conversation focuses on tariffs’ legal and practical implications. While international trade agreements often permit tariffs, their implementation can significantly alter procurement markets by increasing costs, distorting competition, and complicating supply-chain decisions. Yukins highlights how certain regulatory mechanisms—such as Defense Department exemptions—may partially mitigate these effects, yet broader uncertainty persists for contractors and agencies alike.

The episode also situates these developments within the broader context of procurement reform. As the United States revises the Federal Acquisition Regulation and the European Union prepares potential updates to its procurement directives, the absence of coordinated dialogue risks fragmenting global procurement governance. Yukins emphasizes that maintaining professional and academic channels of communication may be essential to preserving cooperation across jurisdictions.

For law students, practitioners, and policymakers, the episode underscores a key insight: procurement law now operates at the intersection of administrative law, trade law, and geopolitical strategy. Understanding how procurement policies influence international markets—and how international responses shape domestic procurement—has become essential for anyone engaged in the field.

Ultimately, this conversation offers a forward-looking assessment of how procurement systems may evolve amid political uncertainty, economic nationalism, and regulatory transformation. It challenges listeners to view procurement not merely as a compliance framework, but as a dynamic instrument of global governance.

You can follow Christopher Yukins and read his latest pieces at https://publicprocurementinternationa...