News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Friday, May 2, 2025
Two items are likely to focus minds this week: the state of the World Trade Organization and China. WTO: developing country ‘graduation’ The WTO is hosting a few important meetings this week. Today the dispute settlement body is convening. Around 45 WTO members will ask that the WTO proceed with …
This week’s special focus has been transatlantic trade negotiations (here and here) and Brexit-related British trade policy (here, here, here). But we also got an update on EU Taiwan relations. Below other noteworthy news or updates. Brazil retaliates against EU steel safeguards We are facing another episode in the global steel trade …
Member state trade ministers gathered in the Romanian capital Bucharest today to take stock of current European Union trade files. The most pressing issue on the table was the EU-US trade relationship. But capitals also discussed the way forward for the World Trade Organization and other bilateral trade files. Despite …
The European Commission’s 2015 Trade For All strategy promised Taiwan a bilateral investment agreement. Almost four years on, there is no sign of any such deal. There was indeed one caveat in trade commissioner Cecilia Malmström’s promise to Taipei: a similar deal with Beijing needed concluding first. Yet the conclusion of …
European Union relations with Switzerland are not exactly the easiest at the moment. Following significant political pressure on Bern, the two sides concluded a new agreement last December setting up an overarching framework to their complex maze of bilateral agreements that cover areas ranging from trade to judicial cooperation. But …
MEPs in the international trade committee voted today on a report that will help guide member states of the European Union decide whether to launch trade negotiations with the United States.
Brace for an intense week on the EU trade front. Transatlantic On top of everybody’s mind is the transatlantic relationship. Wilbur Ross’ Department of Commerce is poised to send its report to the White House in the coming days assessing whether auto or auto part imports pose risks to US …
There’s been loads of trade love going on in the twittosphere this week…. Alas, trade is largely a loveless type of environment…. A former European Commission negotiator once said that trade negotiations are “as unsentimental as war”. He said this from his experience in office in the middle of the …
The European Parliament voted by an overwhelming majority today in favour of an EU-wide investment screening mechanism. Here the main points of the new piece of legislation.
The European Parliament overwhelmingly voted in favour of a new ‘screening’ mechanism for foreign direct investments. The new regulation mainly enables information sharing among member states on investments into sectors deemed sensitive through a mechanism coordinated by the European Commission. The aim is to watch investments that could jeopardise security …
