This has been overall quiet and very cold week on the Brussels trade beat. Trade negotiators appear to have taken a bit of a breather after their Christmas break was upended due to historic trade and investment agreements with the United Kingdom and China being concluded at the very last …
Digital
EU Digital Governance Act seen as creating onerous data transfer conditions
It’s been quite a journey within the European Commission. Today’s final version of the EU’s long-awaited Data Governance Act organises the EU’s ‘data economy’, setting rules on how personal and other sensitive data are shared and handled across the single market. The aim is both to stimulate data sharing and …
EU dual use exports controls: deal reached on cyber and human rights
The three European Union institutions finalised negotiations to expand the scope of its dual-use export control regime to cybersurveillance technology with the aim of protecting human rights.
Week in Brussels: Cyber, Ireland, Paris Agreement, Netherlands, cocoa
If you think a second wave of COVID-19 lockdowns is nigh, think twice: trade policy activity has never been so busy since European Union countries shut down or went into slow motion last March to await the passing of the pandemic at home. Online or offline: a lot is happening! …
EU dual-use export control regime overhaul makes headway
European institutions hope they can soon finalise long drawn-out negotiations to expand the scope of the European Union’s 2009 dual-use item export control regulation to cover cyber-surveillance and human rights abuses. The latest version of the regulation foresees room to introduce restrictions on exports in emerging technologies.
China turns up volume on EU business environment for its companies
A report by the China Chamber of Commerce to the European Union reveals a few key Beijing ‘asks’ in current negotiations as EU China meetings and negotiations are set to intensify this autumn.
EU business wants ‘positive agenda’ with US – as Schrems II throws new spanners in transatlantic works
Today’s judgement of the Court of Justice of the European Union invalidating the 2016 Privacy Shield in force with the United States is throwing further spans in the works of the increasingly tense transatlantic relationship. “Unfortunately, the impact on EU-US trade relations is going to be huge,” reckons Peter Chase, …
EU strategy for data (re)emphasises fight against data localisation requirements
The EU unveiled two policy strategy papers today on its approach to artificial intelligence and to data that might seem as a disappointment to hard-core proponents of European ‘digital sovereignty’. But will come as a relief to many digital industries and to trading partners that feared a protectionist turn in …
Week in Brussels: EU US, digital, ESA
This week the focus has been on the soon-to-be-launched EU-UK trade negotiations and the real start to British post-Brexit trade policy. Our *four articles* (!) this week here. But London is not quite the centre of the world. Here other developments this week in EU trade. Hogan flies to Washington …
5G Toolbox resorts to traditional trade policy tools to enhance cybersecurity in EU
The European Commission’s long-anticipated policy proposals aimed at enhancing Europe’s new-generation internet’s security will rely on a series of traditional ‘trade policy’ instruments. The EU’s executive body wants these to be rolled out within three months across all member states. Brussels has come up with a unique approach in dealing …