Without a united centre-right EPP group, the EU Commission’s trade initiatives could well end up being scuppered in the European Parliament. That’s a lesson to learn from last week’s ‘conflict minerals’ vote.
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Comment: TTIP on track but on the slow lane
After round 9 of TTIP negotiations held on 19-24 April in New York city, it is clear that the strategic transatlantic trade talks are now firmly on track. Negotiations had entered a lull in 2014, but serious moves by Brussels and Washington to give them ‘a fresh start’ early this year have borne fruit. Expect nonetheless the TTIP train …
ENP overhaul: are DCFTAs still a good idea? Michael Leigh shares his views
The crisis in Ukraine and the instability and violence in the Middle East and North Africa have triggered a re-think of the European Neighbourhood Policy. Sir Michael Leigh, a former Director General for enlargement at the EU Commission, now a senior adviser to the German Marshall Fund, shared his views …
Of paper and fertilisers: moving from politics to law in EU Russia trade disputes
A fourth dispute settlement panel within less than two years to rule on a case between the EU and Russia will soon be established at the World Trade Organization. Is the rising number of trade cases brought by Brussels against Moscow in Geneva the continuation of trade war by other means in a bilateral relationship …
Slow motion over Easter period
Dear readers, Borderlex is hatching new products and offers. Before the burst of new life, our website will have to run at slower motion over the Easter period. Sorry if you don’t find as many article as usual on our homepage.
TTIP: EU business fears US will get to scrutinise more EU regulations than other way round
EU business is irked that Washington and Brussels are planning to discuss regulatory cooperation issues in the transtlantic trade and investment partnership (TTIP) at federal and EU level only. Business groups say that as a result the EU will have to submit more regulations to US scrutiny than the other way round. Iana Dreyer reports. …
Sharp dividing lines over planned ‘conflict minerals’ sourcing regulation
Comment: TTIP negotiations – a long road to Golgotha
If the road to TTIP can be compared to that to Golgotha, trade negotiators in Washington and Brussels are still only at the very bottom of the Via Dolorosa. That’s a conclusion one can draw from the speeches by EU trade commissioner Malmström and US ambassador Anthony Gardner held in …
Seek instant updates on EU trade policy? Follow us on Twitter @Borderlex_Editor
On your Twitter timeline, you will instantly find the latest news on EU trade negotiations. Today this includes details about the newly released EU negotiating mandate for the trade in services (TiSA) talks, the European parliament’s resolution on trade in conflict minderals, updates on events and speeches by Donald Tusk …
EU Vietnam FTA: rice carve-outs and ‘double transformation’ rule of origin in sight
Ongoing European Union (EU)-Vietnam free trade negotiations are reaching a critical point. Although negotiations have advanced well so far, the most difficult part of the talks still lies ahead of Brussels and Hanoi, a hearing at the EU parliament revealed. Some idea of the likely carve-outs from trade liberalisation in this politically sensitive deal for …
