News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
G7 leaders agreed a wide-ranging statement on economic resilience and economic security at their recent summit in Japan. The breadth of issues put under this heading contents is a problem and risks simply becoming a laundry list of concerns about China. The European Commission, preparing its own communication on the …
There is talk of a new ‘Washington consensus’ on trade as spelled out in a recent speech by US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. This Washington view partly overlaps with the EU’s new approach to trade policy. But their new position of domestic industry above anything else will not deliver …
Brussels is taking a greater interest in what a change of government in the United Kingdom next year might mean for cross-Channel relations. Comfortably ahead in opinion polls, the Labour Party hasn’t focused much on trade – but greater focus on Europe is likely.
Now that the UK is set to join the 11 country Asia Pacific trade pact CPTPP, some commentators have suggested the EU should follow. But there are better alternatives for EU CPTPP trade engagement, starting with deepening dialogue on new trade policy issues.
Amidst all the wrangling about free trade vs the environment in the European Union, we risk ending with more protectionism and less ambitious environmental policies.
Recent changes to the powers of the United Kingdom’s Trade Remedies Authority and last-minute hiccups in its prized accession to the CPTPP hide a deeper truth about the country’s trade policy.
EU policy makers need to think more long-term about their policy mix to achieve industrial competitiveness, greening and resilience. Knee-jerk reactions to what others are doing are not the way to go.
As the EU moves closer to ensuring it has the power to take swift action against the UK in case of breaches of Brexit agreements, the likelihood it will need to do so is receding. In particular, fears over large-scale deregulation through the UK’s proposed Retained EU Law Bill are …
Complexity and ambiguity are the new reality of global trade policy.
The EU and the UK are investing strongly in finding an arrangement to address some British concerns over the Northern Ireland Protocol negotiated in the 2019 Brexit agreement. As things stand, reaching a deal will be very difficult. Succeeding however would draw a big prize for the UK’s diplomatic relationships …
