News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Wednesday, October 4, 2023
The recent compromise reached by the US, EU, India and South Africa over Intellectual Property and COVID-19 vaccines is neither perfect nor guaranteed to succeed but it is a reminder that agreements are possible in the World Trade Organization. Despite the remaining serious challenges to the trading system, signs of …
The United Kingdom and New Zealand can be considered among the countries most open to trade within a strong ruleset, and their recently released free trade agreement text unsurprisingly therefore breaks some new ground. However, with often relatively weak new provisions it isn’t a new model for inclusive trade that …
The question of whether Russia should continue to benefit from World Trade Organization membership has moved to prominence in recent days. The rules to remove most-favoured nation treatment are clear and should be applied. But we should be cautious of going further as this would risk the WTO’s future without …
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.
