EU members continue to be deeply divided over the issue of granting China market economy treatment in antidumping. “The situation in the Council is complicated”, Peter Žiga, Minister of Economy of Slovakia, told MEPs this morning, referring to the China file. “The issue of granting China market economy status is of …
Author: Iana Dreyer
UK Prime Minister nominates staunch eurosceptics to EU and trade role
The new UK government led by Theresa May has nominated David Davis to the role of Secretary of State for Leaving the EU, and Liam Fox to the role of Secretary of State for International Trade. Both are committed to leaving the EU after the country’s in-out-referendum on 23 June. …
EU to remove Belarus textile quotas
As part of its recent political rapprochement with Belarus in the aftermath of the crisis in Ukraine, the EU has not only partially lifted sanctions on leaders in Minsk. The EU is also moving to repeal existing textile import quotas from the country. Belarus welcomes the move.
In brief: Mid week TTIP update
This is TTIP week in Brussels. Below mid-week bits and pieces of updates. In this fourteenth round of talks in rainy Belgium negotiators are ploughing through thousands of pages of texts with the aim to have an outline of the final TTIP agreement in place. For those familiar with …
Call for ‘prudential carve-out’ for data flows in trade talks post Privacy Shield
While businesses hope that with the Privacy Shield, the EU will become more active in combating forced data localisations abroad, consumer and privacy activists in the EU are stepping up efforts to carve out privacy rules from free trade rules.
Commissioner Malmström sidesteps tricky files in first Beijing speech
No talk of China market economy treatment, or an investment agreement, let alone an FTA with China in Malmström’s inaugural speech in Beijing.
TiSA: Services Coalition calls for progress in e-commerce, telecommunications
Services groups see insufficient progress in e-commerce, telecommunications, finance, delivery services and movement of professionals in TiSA as parties aim towards endgame in 2016. ID.
TTIP: European business alliance in call for “constructive approach”
Creative thinking is needed to make progress in TTIP, business groups say. The Business Alliance for TTIP, which includes the European Small Business Alliance, the European Round Table, the European Services Forum, Business Europe, the Trans-Atlantic Business Council, Eurocommerce, Eurochambres and AmChamEU, is calling for tangible progress in TTIP …
Reports: Tanzania backs out of EU EAC deal over Brexit
In brief: Rwanda’s New Times reports that Tanzania has decided to pull out of the EU East African Community deal. The agreement was slated for signature on 18 July. More to follow.
Exclusive: Gardner – possible to have “main building blocks” of TTIP by end 2016
In brief: US Ambassador to the EU Anthony Gardner believes the main building blocks of TTIP can be negotiated by end 2016, though he admits agreement on procurement and geographical indications still far off. Asked by Borderlex whether he thought it realistic for the EU and US to conclude …
