News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Saturday, June 19, 2021
The European Commission late last week published a proposed chapter on sustainable food systems that it wants to include in its EU-Chile trade agreement. Negotiations towards its modernisation are ongoing. The chapter is also expected to be introduced into future and ongoing trade negotiations, including those with Australia and New …
The European Parliament Plenary session tonight endorsed by one vote a proposed waiver on the WTO TRIPS agreement in an amendment to a report on trade and COVID-19 by one vote. This creates a split within the EU institutions, and potentially weakens the European Commission’s position on a waiver just …
World Trade Organization members today agreed to move to text-based negotiations on two proposals to speed up the supply of vaccines and COVID-19-related medical equipment around the world.
The European Commission today put forward a Communication for discussion at the World Trade Organization, which aims to facilitate the production and export of vaccines and therapeutics. The EU document stops short of supporting a waiver on intellectual property rights for medical products as is being proposed by a number …
The European Commission is planning to oblige EU importers of cement, electricity, fertilisers, iron, steel, and aluminium from third countries to purchase annual emission allowances, the cost of which will depend on the degree of emissions embedded in the final product.
The WTO’s Dispute Settlement Body today approved Malaysia’s request for the establishment of a panel to resolve the country’s dispute with the European Union, France, and Lithuania regarding their refusal to classify palm oil and oil palm-based biofuels as renewable energy sources.
The European Parliament Committee on International Trade has called for “constructive dialogue” on a temporary waiver from the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights – TRIPS – in the context of global vaccine and medical supplies.
G20 countries reiterated their support for the multilateral trading system as a means to ensure global access to vaccines for Covid-19, as well as related medicines and medical equipment.
