News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Sunday, August 14, 2022
Singaporeans have been kept waiting for years for a trade agreement concluded years ago with the European Union to finally come into force. While the deal is expected to bring a variety of economic benefits, there is a sense that it already starts being outdated. Singapore is keen to more …
On Tuesday (April 30), the European Court of Justice (ECJ) issued its long-awaited opinion on the question raised by Belgium whether the investment court system (ICS), which encompasses a tribunal and appellate tribunal, is compatible with EU law. The approval of the ECJ not only removes the remaining obstacle for …
The European Parliament gave its assent to the EU Singapore free trade agreement, to a separate investment protection agreement, and to a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement today. The trade pact did less well than the EU Japan Economic Partnership Agreement voted in last December. The Singapore FTA received 425 votes …
Tired of gloomy trade news? Let’s have some fun today. Here four numbers worth playing around with this week. 750 000 000 That’s the number of US $ worth of economic output Italy alone could lose should the United States close off its market to German autos and parts. The …
G20 fallout December 2018 will be remembered as a decisive moment in European trade policy. Leaders came back to Europe from the G20 in Argentina over the week-end without securing a commitment by the big leaders to fight protectionism – although WTO reform is on the agenda of the world’s …
It was meant to be largely a technical exercise. It turned out to be more political than expected. The European Union is about to adopt a new regulation on safeguards on imports that will apply equally to all its new bilateral free trade agreements. A final compromise among the three …
MEPs are preparing the ground to ratify the EU-Singapore free trade and investment protection agreements in the hope this can be done early next year. “We have kept waiting our Singaporean friends for quite some time,” David Martin, rapporteur on ASEAN trade, said during today’s trade committee meeting. The original …
The long Asia-focused trade week in Brussels is finishing late on a Friday with a salvo of new announcements. Here a quick roundup. Juncker-Abe meeting During a bilateral meeting with European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker Japan’s prime minister Shinzo Abe said Tokyo is readying itself to ratify the recently signed EU …
The next two weeks are notable for all the rounds of trade negotiations: the EU will hold talks with China and Indonesia this week and then with Mercosur and New Zealand next week. In between, EU and Japanese officials will sign their economic partnership and strategic partnership agreements. But perhaps …
There’s little that is really new to report on the Foreign Affairs Council meeting held today in Brussels. The EU is not nurturing strong hopes to be exempted from import restrictions from the United States. Australia and New Zealand trade negotiations to begin by July As expected the …
