The United Kingdom will table new legislation in the coming weeks which, if adopted, would override the trade provisions of the Northern Ireland protocol – and set the UK on a path of fresh confrontation with the EU.
Author: Chris Horseman
Week in London: NI protocol in danger, Australia and New Zealand, India, Russian palladium
It’s an intense week on the trade front in the United Kingdom.
WTO: MC12 preparations accelerate amidst TRIPS waiver breakthrough hopes
China has enhanced the prospects of an agreement at next month’s WTO ministerial meeting on a TRIPS waiver for COVID-19 vaccines, by stating that it will not be making use of any flexibilities offered to developing countries on access to patented medicines.
WTO director-general pushes ahead with secretariat reforms
The World Trade Organization is pressing ahead with controversial plans to shake up the workings of its secretariat – even though many in Geneva remain nervous about the planned overhaul and what it will deliver. Management consultants McKinsey have been commissioned for a second time by the WTO’s Director-General, Ngozi …
WTO: Quad-deal based TRIPS waiver talks begin
WTO members had the opportunity to give their first detailed response to the ‘outcome document’ on waiving intellectual property rights for COVID vaccines at a meeting of the TRIPS Council in Geneva on Friday (6 May). Their response? An agreement to keep on talking.
Week in London : All eyes on CPTPP
All eyes have been on the CPTPP this week. London appoints trade envoy to Japan as CPTPP accession talks progress The United Kingdom has sought to bolster its trade relationship with Japan by appointing an official trade envoy to the Asian country. Greg Clark, a Conservative MP who was UK …
London imposes Russian ban on accessing key services
The United Kingdom has announced a ban on doing business with Russia in a range of services sectors, including management consultancy, accountancy and public relations work. The move, unveiled on Wednesday (4 May), extends the focus of the UK’s economic battle against the Putin regime from goods to services. Bans …
Week in London: Fourth UK border check delay, talking with US, dealing with Indiana
The UK still has no control over its customs border vis-à-vis the European Union….And London is trying to get around lack of market access progress with Washington by talking to individual US states.
UK prepares for revamped trade deal with Switzerland
Switzerland is the latest country to be targeted by the United Kingdom for an overhaul of post-Brexit trade relationships. The UK department for international trade announced on Thursday (28 April) that it was launching a ‘call for input’ from stakeholders to guide its approach to negotiations for an ‘enhanced’ free …
US takes more conciliatory tone on WTO appeals
The United States is “prepared for deepened engagement” with other WTO members on the role of the Appellate Body and other questions relating to the functioning of the Organization, according to the country’s recently-appointed ambassador to the WTO, María Luisa Pagán. But she has refused to lift the US’s long-standing …
