News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Wednesday, May 25, 2022
The EU’s strong response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has surprised many. The whole crisis should serve as a reminder of the EU’s symbolic importance of bringing the continent together: EU trade and broader policy towards its neighbours now needs to reflect this.
As the shape of global trade changes, so does the EU need to update its thinking about its trade relationships with developing countries.
Recent news that China has failed to meet commitments agreed in its trade deal with the US under the Trump administration was not a surprise. It was also the latest in a long line of over-optimistic projections about the impact of trade policy, which undermine the case for open trade …
The appointment of arch-Brexiter Jacob Rees-Mogg to the position of Minister for Brexit Opportunities only days after a Benefits of Brexit report in the EU won’t change the overall picture: namely that the United Kingdom will only want to diverge in a limited manner from the EU legal framework.
New disputes raised at the WTO and an accession process starting at the OECD demonstrates countries across the world still see value in plurilateral and multilateral institutions.
The French suggestion to introduce “mirror clauses” in trade agreements is horrifying WTO purists but reflects the demands of many pressure groups. While this may be yet another instrument to delay the signature of free trade agreements, the idea of balancing open trade and wider societal considerations is not new …
It is difficult for great trading powers such as the European Union to meaningfully engage with other regions such as the Indo-Pacific, given their increased preference for autonomous measures over trade agreements. There is a need for a broader consideration of EU objectives, and potentially new tools to deliver them.
The European Union’s new, increasingly assertive, trade policy is now fully coming together with the formation of a new German coalition government and the upcoming French presidency of the Council. Paris and Berlin share many similarities in their approach to this EU policy are but are likely to differ in …
The UK-US-EU ‘triangle’ is one to keep watching. The British government is going through a few self-inflicted setbacks in its trade relationships with the United States, giving the European Union an advantage as it settles Trump-era trade irritants. But over time London should – and will – strengthen its diplomacy …
The expected outcomes from the coming 12th ministerial conference of the World Trade Organization will likely be disappointing overall. But members of the global trade institution still have the chance to make a difference – through showing genuine support for its role.
