The European Union and Thailand announced the resumption of bilateral free trade agreement talks. So, what shapes this decision?
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Opinion: Stop obsessing about Washington, make better climate, China policies
The European Commission obtained very little from Washington in terms of concessions on the Inflation Reduction Act this week. There is in fact, little the EU can do to see the United States change course. In many ways the whole diplomatic episode around US clean tech subsidies that began in …
WTO reform: the quest to rescue multilateralism
Some 28 years after it came into existence, the World Trade Organization is facing something of an existential crisis. Where are the prospects for current institutional reform efforts?
Comment: On the cognitive dissonance in EU US trade relations
Cognitive dissonance on trade policy across the Atlantic is nothing new. But it is reaching new levels as United States tensions with China grow. These are some impressions on the state of the transatlantic trade gained during a visit to Washington.
Comment: Hong Kong vs US – small is beautiful in the WTO
A World Trade Organization panel recently ruled in favour of Hong Kong in a dispute with the US regarding a requirement that imported goods should be marked as being of ‘China’ origin rather than ‘Hong Kong’ as hitherto. The panel upheld the rights of a small economy against the most …
ASIA TRADE: What’s in store for Asia-Pacific trade agreements in 2023
Much of Asia is preparing to usher in the year of the rabbit this coming weekend. Expect much movement on the trade agreement front as the region returns to a post-pandemic normality.
ASIA TRADE: US Congress red lines shaping Indo-Pacific Economic Framework outcomes
The fourteen members of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework meeting in Australia this weekend for its first full negotiating round will need to think very carefully about the critical red lines that are behind the positions of a United States acting without Trade Promotion Authority.
Comment: EU US Trade and Technology Council better at delivering outside than within its framework
The amount of energy going into the EU US Trade and Technology Council in the Brussels bubble is astounding. It’s at times as if nothing else counted: everyone is obsessed with it. Will the TTC have delivered more on what happened outside its formal framework than within?
ASIA TRADE: What has Asia’s trade summit season delivered?
The end of the Asian ‘summit season’ brings a big sigh of relief to most participating members. The region appears to have gotten through November without any apparent disasters, leaders managed to agree on statements, and some new initiatives were announced for trade.
Energy Charter Treaty: Preserving a forum for energy transition diplomacy
The main arguments against the recently renegotiated Energy Charter Treaty don’t stand up to scrutiny. Pulling out of the treaty as some countries have announced will not foster much-needed investments in renewable energies. Only a predictable investment framework will. By Urban Rusnák.
