A letter by twelve EU member states supporting the Commission in its endeavour to see through the trade agreement concluded with Canada (CETA) this autumn and to finalise TTIP negotiations with the United States was received as a weak and puny last ditch attempt to salvage the projects. But does …
Canada and CETA
Jean-Claude Juncker presses for CETA
Commission president Juncker called on the EU to ratify CETA, the trade agreement with Canada concluded in February, and urged member states to accept reforms to the EU’s antidumping laws. “One billion more worth of exports creates fourteen thousand extra jobs in Europe”, Juncker said. “This is in …
Why Germany won’t likely reject CETA
CETA currently stands good chances of adoption in the expected forthcoming national ratification process in Germany. Germany’s political parties are preparing to grapple with the ratification of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement – CETA – with Canada. The junior coalition governing party SPD is bracing for a showdown on CETA as its leadership …
In brief: Client Earth criticises European Parliament legal opinion on investment court in CETA
The freshly released European Parliament legal service’s opinion on the EU’s investor court system put forward in its Canadian trade agreement CETA was bound to displease investment arbitration and investment treaty critics: it indeed declared the system compatible with EU law. The environmental NGO Client Earth, an activist critic of international investment protection treaties, released a legal opinion …
What the European Parliament legal service says about CETA’s investment chapter
A report by the European Parliament’s legal service released early September considers that the controversial chapter on investment protection in the Canada EU CETA trade agreement is compatible with EU law. The question of legality of international arbitration tribunals and international courts has become a touchy topic with the controversy over …
EP: Social-democrats divided over investment, labour, and public services in CETA
An intense debate at the trade committee of the European Parliament revealed the current mood over the EU Canadian trade agreement awaiting signature and ratification this autumn. Whereas representatives of the leading European political group the EPP have generally wholeheartedly endorsed the deal, the left-of-centre S&D group is divided. …
Outlook: A fateful autumn for the EU’s trade policy
This autumn will be a moment of truth for the EU’s trade policy – as for the EU as a whole. At the end of this year, we will have two answers: whether the EU can still credibly sign international agreements, and whether the EU can cope with the tremendous …
EU trade policy August round-up
Two EU wins over Russia at the WTO and the German politics of CETA have dominated the month of August. WTO disputes dominate the picture The EU has imposed retroactive antidumping duties on colled-rolled steel from Russia and China. “The investigation was initiated on 14 May 2015 following a …
Trade: the EU’s rising exposure to pressure and blackmail
The EU’s trade policy is being renationalised under the pressure of national governments seeking to regain control over an exclusive competence of the EU and of Brexit. The European bloc is thereby becoming increasingly exposed to new political pressures and blackmail at home and abroad. A pamphlet by Iana Dreyer.
“Unravelling CETA” campaign in EU Parliament
A group of 8 MEPs from the centre and far left have launched a campaign against CETA called Unravelling CETA. The MEPs are from France, led by maverick French socialist Emmanuel Maurel, Italy, Greece, Spain, and Germany. The objectives of the campaign are not set out clearly, but the …
