News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Wednesday, October 4, 2023
International think tanks covered a vast range of topics this week; Bruegel comments on the Ukrainian grain import spat, the Washington based CATO Institute makes a case for free trade and the Center for Inclusive Trade Policy’s Alan Winters questions Sunak on Brexit and UK trade.
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng called on the European Union to “exercise restraint” in implementing the bloc’s unilateral trade and environment measures. The two sides established working groups on export controls, WTO reform and cosmetics trade.
A preview of key meetings around trade in the EU and at the WTO. By Rob Francis and Chris Horseman.
The week in Brussels has been dominated by the spat over imports of grain from Ukraine. But much more happened…
This week in UK trade news: a new Board of Trade, negotiations with Chile and the GCC, and electric vehicle rules of origin.
Ukraine has circulated its request for consultations with EU member states Hungary, Poland and Slovakia with the dispute settlement body in Geneva in relation to these countries’ unilateral import bans.
Two more WTO dispute cases entered ‘the void’ this week, with the losing party signalling their intention to refer the case to a WTO appellate body which no longer exists.
Shameful. And dangerous. And this is not about a few tonnes of wheat. This is dangerous for the European Union as a polity. This is dangerous for its standing as a global trading power.
Parliamentarians in the European Parliament’s international trade committee expressed their concern yesterday (19 September) at the European Commission for using the EU’s new Enforcement Regulation against Indonesia in the context of Jakarta’s ban on nickel exports.
The first draft of the long-awaited agreement on reform of the World Trade Organization’s dispute settlement process is due to be presented to members in mid-October.
