News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Thursday, January 21, 2021
The United Kingdom’s planned free trade agreement negotiations with the United States look set to get under way in the near future, with the two governments making preparations for a virtual launch of the talks – possibly as early as next week (4 May). The discussions have not yet been …
The European Commission acted on Monday to re-impose tariffs on a key United States import product – but don’t worry, it’s not a new front opening up on the transatlantic trade war, it’s just the Common Agricultural Policy. Imports tariffs have been re-imposed with effect from 27 April on maize, …
The chances of completing a free trade agreement between the EU27 and the United Kingdom by the end of this year – already viewed as very slim – have receded even further following an acrimonious round of negotiations between the two sides this week. In a post-round press conference on …
The European Union has joined with 23 other World Trade Organization members in pledging not to impose food export bans in response to the crisis in food distribution which the COVID-19 pandemic has unleashed in some sectors. The commitment was issued in the form of a WTO joint statement, coordinated …
The European Union has boosted its exports of food and drink products with protected geographical indications by 62% over the last seven years, according to a new European Commission report. The study sheds some interesting light on the political and commercial drivers behind the EU’s controversial policies on GIs and …
FTA negotiations between the EU and New Zealand have been continuing, in defiance of the logistical challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic. But despite continuing good progress, it will clearly be some time yet before the talks are wrapped up. The two sides completed their latest round of talks, the …
United Kingdom and European Union negotiators will convene by video next week to re-organise a schedule of meetings to discuss the future relationship between the two sides, as both London and Brussels attempted to present an impression of ‘business almost as usual’ amid the current COVID-19 chaos.
In the midst of the worst public health crisis in a century, trade negotiations are not high on any government’s list of top priorities. And yet it is precisely this slowdown in trade negotiating activity which is causing headaches for the United Kingdom – a country caught in transition between …
There is “an urgent need” to start detailed work on implementing the procedures governing the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland once the United Kingdom exits the European Union’s customs union next year, European Commission officials said on Monday. In an official statement issued after the first …
International negotiators are doing their level best to keep the momentum going in their quest to reach a deal to curb fisheries subsidies this year – despite the havoc currently being wrought by Covid-19. The talks had originally been driven by a political imperative to reach a deal at the …
