EU US steel and aluminium talks reach crunch time The EU and US are still negotiating on a mechanism aimed at phasing out Trump era national security import duties on steel (25%) and aluminium (10%).
Coronavirus response
EU expected to extend vaccine export control regime until end 2021
The European Commission is expected to propose an extension of an export control mechanism – which it calls a “transparency and authorisation mechanism” – for COVID-19 vaccines until the end of the year.
European Parliament adopts its views on post COVID-19 trade
The European Parliament repeated – among others its call for a constructive dialogue on a temporary waiver from the WTO Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights and criticised ongoing export restrictions by vaccine producing countries, including the EU, in a report adopted on Tuesday evening (6 July …
EU extends authorisation mechanism for vaccines to 30 September
The EU today extended until 30 September 2021 its transparency and authorisation mechanism for COVID-19 vaccines, leaving the current process unchanged until this date.
Week in Brussels: EP TRIPS waiver, CETA architects, CETA dairy, Saudi US MEG
With trade relations with the United States and United Kingdom – via Northern Ireland – in focus this week, it’s easy to get distracted. So here other notable developments in EU trade policy this week: EP TRIPS waiver politics, MRA for architects with Canada, Canada dairy, new anti-dumping duties on …
European Parliament votes in support of WTO COVID-19 TRIPS waiver
The European Parliament Plenary session tonight endorsed by one vote a proposed waiver on the WTO TRIPS agreement in an amendment to a report on trade and COVID-19 by one vote. This creates a split within the EU institutions, and potentially weakens the European Commission’s position on a waiver just …
International trade’s positive role in tackling COVID-19 needs celebrating
Contrary to the current dominant narrative, the global trade system has responded impressively to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s time to acknowledge this.
INTA MEPs vote for “constructive dialogue” on TRIPS waiver
The European Parliament Committee on International Trade has called for “constructive dialogue” on a temporary waiver from the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights – TRIPS – in the context of global vaccine and medical supplies.
Week in Brussels : COVID-19 vaccine local content requirement, CAI, Sweden-EU-UK`
It’s been quite the week in trade policy in Brussels, with the transatlantic relationship and global vaccine access a central theme. We had a suspension of tariff escalation plans by the EU to leave room to the United States to somehow phase out their Section 232 steel and aluminium tariffs …
European Union to table new counterproposals on trade, health, vaccines at WTO
The European Union wants to be seen as a solutions-provider in the ongoing World Trade Organization’s health-related dealings. This comes after having been caught unawares by a recent decision by the United States to drop its long-held belief in the unassailability of pharmaceutical patents and negotiate a waiver on TRIPS …
