Today’s widely anticipated EU-China summit held via videoconference mainly offered a channel of direct communication between the leaders of the Council and the European Commission on the one hand and China’s president and vice-premier on the other, amidst rising political rifts between the two sides that have been building up …
China
Perspectives: Where now for EU-China relations?
This week’s EU-China summit will be dominated by discussions on Russia and Ukraine. There is also a trade dimension to the conversation, amidst increasing mistrust and fears of full economic decoupling in the future. There is a need to prepare for the possibility of the latter while still setting out …
Lithuania: EU launches wide-ranging WTO case against China trade blockade
The EU has moved faster than expected in launching a legal dispute at the World Trade Organization in relation to Chinese restrictions on exports from Lithuania following a political row with the country related to the opening of a representative office for Taiwan in Vilnius last year. The move is …
Week in Brussels : Hong Kong, G7 climate club, US, Canada
The EU trade policy machinery is definitely back in action after a slow-ish start to the year. Here some selected updates on developments this week by Iana Dreyer and Rob Francis.
Festering Chinese Lithuania blockade emboldens anti-coercion instrument proponents
A festering crisis over trade with Lithuania is helping proponents of the EU’s recently announced anti-coercion instrument make their case in Brussels.
Sabine Weyand: We will need to re-engage China
Borderlex’s founder and editor Iana Dreyer spoke to the European Commission’s director-general for trade Sabine Weyand. The conversation covered the current state of transatlantic trade relations, the Brussels’ trade conversation with China and prospects for the World Trade Organization as its 12th ministerial conference approaches.
Chinese business feels heat of EU ‘unilateral’ trade and investment measures
The discreet Brussels-based China Chamber of Commerce to the EU released this week its 2021 annual report on what it terms the ‘business climate’ in the bloc.
Week in Brussels: MEP China report, ASEAN, Dombrovskis in Geneva
It’s been an intense week in trade policy in Brussels, focused on preparations of the Trade and Tech Council with the United States to be held late September 2021. This week saw the launch of the first EU-wide Indo-Pacific strategy. The latter was overshadowed by a blow to French interests …
Comment – Indo-Pacific: EU needs to innovate in its trade policy
The European Union’s adoption of a Strategy for cooperation the Indo-Pacific in April 2021 is a milestone. But it lacks a much-needed reassessment of its trade policy in the region, especially as regards to ASEAN and Taiwan.
Week in Brussels : G7, digital deals, China, Taiwan, TDI
It’s been another intense week on the EU trade beat, with a revamped partnership with Japan, the collapse of EU Switzerland talks, MEPs voting on trade and health, and much more. Here other notable developments or bits of news on EU trade and G7, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Korea and trade …