It’s been a big week for those looking at supply chain management, with the corporate sustainability due diligence regulation moving ahead in in parliament and MEPs starting to look at the EU’s planned forced labour product ban. Also the international trade committee of the European Parliament voted in favour of …
Mercosur
EU Mercosur ‘additional protocol’ draft foresees sustainability ‘roadmap’
The European Commission is asking the Mercosur bloc to establish a roadmap towards implementing the ‘sustainable development’ provisions included in the EU Mercosur Association Agreement as part of a draft ‘additional protocol’ tabled to the South American countries.
Week in Brussels: EU Switzerland negotiations, Austria vs Mercosur, due diligence
There could be new developments in the EU-Switzerland bilateral negotiations. And Austria throws spanners into the wheels of Mercosur. Below, an overview of what’s happened in the background on trade policy in the EU this week. That comes on top of the launch of FTA talks with Thailand and new …
EU, Mercosur pick up deal discussion
The EU and Mercosur blocs have agreed on a “work schedule for the first half of 2023” in an attempt to agree on additional sustainability provisions to be inserted within the bilateral association agreement. In meetings this week in Buenos Aires, negotiators from the two sides discussed “the three dimensions …
Week in Brussels: Ukraine duty suspensions, Mercosur politics comeback
Subsidies, digital and Indo-Pacific, but also Ukraine and Mercosur. These currently are the bread-and-butter trade issues in Brussels – and developments this week were very representative. Von der Leyen announces duty suspension extension for Ukraine European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced on Thursday (2 February) an extension to …
Week in Brussels: Latin American FTAs, trilogue troubles, Brit subsidy and cyber worries
It’s been a dense and intense week in EU trade. Here a few snippets. By Rob Francis and Iana Dreyer. Sweden wants those FTAs – but there’s trouble ahead on the Latin American front Sweden’s trade minister Johan Forssell confirmed on Tuesday (24 January) that the Swedish presidency of the …
Week in Brussels: TTC follow-up, Mercosur woes, essentialising labour and environment in FTAs
It’s been a very busy week, starting with a transatlantic TTC meeting, continuing with the Australian trade minister coming to Brussels, and a long-awaited trade deal with Chile finally announced today. There’s more that happened. Selection below.
Week in Brussels: Mercosur, Kyrgyrzstan GSP Plus status, Dutch on CBAM
As everyone awaits what will happen to the Energy Charter Treaty today, here some notable developments in EU trade policy this week, on top of the fact that member states have found common ground on the coming anti-coercion instrument.
Perspectives: Can the EU really finalise deals with Australia and Mercosur?
The recent Brazilian election has renewed hopes that the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement can be ratified in the next twelve months. EU negotiators hope to complete free trade agreement negotiations with Australia within the same timeframe. Rising protectionism within the EU may however dash those hopes.
Mercosur FTA: EU readies for environmental annex
The centre-left Socialists and Democrats group want the European Parliament to be involved in scrutinising the additional instrument on sustainability which will be attached to the EU-Mercosur trade agreement. Speaking in a meeting of the parliament’s delegation to Brazil on Thursday (10 November), Kathleen Van Brempt, who also sits on …