News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Friday, April 25, 2025
This week has seen two ‘strategic’ initiatives: the launch of a new paper on EU-US relations and the upgrading of EU-ASEAN relations post RCEP. Here other developments of potential interest. Dombrovksis talks to French Senate – Paris CETA ratification date unclear Nobody knows yet when the French government will put …
Here some notable news on WTO issues this week. US to remove ‘essential’ medical products from its Government Procurement Agreement commitments Whereas official WTO corporate communications focus on the ‘news’ that Switzerland and the United Kingdom will now formally be part of the ‘revised GPA’ of 2014, there is a …
The European Union is putting forward a minimalist bilateral trade agenda with the United States, choosing instead a to seek to work with Washington on broader global issues.
Suddenly it all happened. Commenting on the outcome of an EU-ASEAN ministerial meeting today on social media, Gunnar Wiegand, who leads Asian affairs at the European External Action Service said the gathering was “not a routine meeting, but a historic step”. Strategic partnership and palm oil dialogue Due to, among …
Last woman standing: Appellate Body member Hong Zhao says good-bye China’s Appellate Body member was the last woman standing until yesterday. Hong Zhao, a Chinese scholar, was long a thorn in the eye of the United States. Since the terms of two colleagues expired in early December last year, Ms …
Good afternoon, an overview of interesting trade policy developments in Brussels this week. 35% of EU exports to be covered by trade agreements in 2024 and other strategic objectives The European Commission’s trade directorate released its 2020 ‘Strategic Plan’ this week. The document spells out how the body will approach …
The European Commission released a new strategy paper that sums up its approach to seeking greater resilience for the European Union during health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Trade is a major area of intervention.
It’s been quite a journey within the European Commission. Today’s final version of the EU’s long-awaited Data Governance Act organises the EU’s ‘data economy’, setting rules on how personal and other sensitive data are shared and handled across the single market. The aim is both to stimulate data sharing and …
The Ottawa Group, an informal network of countries interested in discussing reforms at the World Trade Organization established in early 2019 is seeking improvements in the way trade in healthcare products is handled beyond the current COVID-19 pandemic. The signatories are eyeing a possible Joint Statement in early 2021, which …
This week at the WTO in Geneva might be celebrated as one of comparatively good news in a world of low expectations. We already covered the fact that two environment initiatives were launched. Celebrating 25 years of WTO The date almost went under as despite its young years, the world’s …
