News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Wednesday, April 21, 2021
Now that the European Union has inked an investment agreement with China it needs to take a big-picture geopolitical approach to the rest of the Asian region and a forward-looking approach to transatlantic relations, argues Reinhard Bütikofer in an interview with Borderlex.
WTO, India, ISDS reform and Northern Ireland in focus in today’s edition of the Week Ahead.
The European Parliament released a series of motions for resolutions on human rights in foreign countries this week. Two could have direct consequences for existing EU investment and trade agreements if MEPs consider that the human rights situation in the relevant countries is deteriorating. China investment deal ratification tied to …
Malaysia has followed its neighbour Indonesia in taking WTO action against the European Union’s renewable fuel directive, in a fresh challenge to the legitimacy of Brussels’ flagship biofuels programme.
Suddenly it all happened. Commenting on the outcome of an EU-ASEAN ministerial meeting today on social media, Gunnar Wiegand, who leads Asian affairs at the European External Action Service said the gathering was “not a routine meeting, but a historic step”. Strategic partnership and palm oil dialogue Due to, among …
This summer, the European Commission withdrew trade preferences granted to Cambodia. Cambodia benefited from duty-free-quota free trade under the EU’s Everything-But-Arms aimed at the world’s poorest countries. The partial withdrawal affects one fifth of the the South East Asian country’s garment and shoes exports. Despite calls this summer to take …
The European Union and India decided today to upgrade their diplomatic relationships on a variety of fronts during a virtual bilateral summit between the Indian prime minister and the heads of the European Council and Commission. A bilateral ‘dialogue’ will be the main vehicle driving the process. The meeting between …
It’s been one of those relatively low-key weeks on trade in Brussels – which only prepare the ground for more intense meetings and developments later on. Hogan back in action To start with: Phil Hogan is back! After a ‘purdah’ period imposed on him by his bosses while he was …
All EU institutions are singing from the same hymn sheet after requests came in last week from business groups to postpone the enactment of new tariffs due in August on one fifth of Cambodian exports. The message is the following: We are sorry COVID-19 let to 150.000 people losing their …
A few weeks before the Big Lockdown, the European Union announced it was suspending trade preferences enjoyed by Cambodia under Brussels’ flagship duty-free-quota-free trade regime for the world’s poorest countries. Despite the severe economic and supply chain damage wrought by the pandemic, the EU still appears to plan on pressing …
