The Energy Charter Treaty needs to make a success of its ongoing modernisation process in the coming five years, writes Urban Rusnák.
Sectors
Week in Brussels: Uzbekistan, palm oil
It’s been a slow start after Easter, but the trade policy machinery in Brussels is gradually getting back into gear. Turkey Only a few weeks into calmer waters a new storm broke out in the EU-Turkey relationship. While the news is about about protocol matters and Sofa Gate, one of …
EU risks fresh trade rows over GI status for ‘halloumi’ cheese
The European Commission has risked complicating its ongoing free trade agreement negotiations with Australia and New Zealand by authorising a Cypriot cheese speciality as a new geographical indication. This move also opens up a new potential area of conflict in its relationship with the United Kingdom.
Towards a climate club
For the EU’s ambitious climate policy to be successful, the EU must join forces with as many international partners as possible in a climate club. In this club members agree on a minimum price for CO2 emissions, trade freely amongst themselves, but apply a carbon border adjustment mechanism – or …
Will the EU-US conversation on tech and trade take off?
To divert a phrase by former US Ambassador to the EU Anthony Garner: last week-end the United States Trade Representative defused some hand grenades, but kept some ticking.
EU, US to resume data framework negotiations amidst slow pickup in trade conversation
The US and EU are talking again on critical trade files, but dialogue is picking up in a piecemeal way.
EU edging closer to granting Uzbekistan GSP Plus trade status
It’s been a long journey for Uzbekistan. The Central Asian country remains one of the world’s most closed and politically repressive countries, but it embarked on a new journey in 2016 after the passing away of Islam Karimov, a particularly cruel dictator. The five-year reform process might lead the country …
International procurement instrument negotiations make their way in Council
Internal European Union member state negotiations over a new regulation that could trigger price increases or market exclusion of third country bidders in public procurement markets are making progress again.
Week in Brussels: Vaccines, China, CAI, Taiwan, Energy Charter Treaty
As widely anticipated, the European Union extended on Thursday its export authorisation scheme for COVID-19 vaccines produced by firms with a procurement contract from the EU until the end of June 2021. The move comes amidst controversies over who among the continental EU and the ‘Anglos’ are greater vaccine nationalists. …
MEPs vote on supply chain due diligence report
The European Parliament is taking a stand on what it wants from EU-wide ‘corporate due diligence’ ahead of legislation that the European Commission is yet to table in a report drafted by Lara Wolters, a Dutch MEP from the S&D group. The report is 79 pages long, has a record …
