The United States Trade Representative office released an updated report of a hearing in the US Senate held last June. The report offers little that is new on the US’s view on transatlantic trade relations, however the write-up does includes up-to-date views of the US administration on recent plans in …
UK WTO & 3rd countries
Week in Brussels: A new low in transatlantic trade relations
The week started with a gloomy assessment of the transatlantic tariff threat picture by the trade commissioner and ended with threats of new US tariffs on France, and potentially Britain, following moves in Paris and London to giant digital company profits.
Week in Brussels: Vietnam, banana pesticides, ISDS awards and state aid
This week we saw developments on the EU China market economy case, Mercosur, the UK GSP scheme, fishing and Korea. What else happened?
Brexit-by-proxy: EU relationship shapes UK debate on future US trade deal
United States president Donald Trump’s official state visit to the United Kingdom has made headlines this week for all sorts of reasons – but it has, among other things, thrown a sharpened spotlight on the possibility of a UK-US free trade agreement after the Britain leaves the EU. The negotiations …
Week Ahead in EU trade: G20, US-UK, bilaterals
G20 trade minister’s meeting amidst escalating ‘trade wars’ G20 trade ministers will converge on Japan for a ministerial meeting on trade and the digital economy this week-end – an event hosted in Tsukuba. The aim is to prepare the ground to the big G20 summit later this month. This week’s …
Week in Brussels: Andean community, EU-US cheese GIs war, Singapore FTA in Karlsruhe
This column was written with input from Chris Horseman. This has been an eventful week, with EU-US trade frictions, e-commerce, Mercosur, the Energy Charter Treaty, Australia and New Zealand, and WTO fish talks featuring high on the agenda. Below are other notable developments. Andean countries safeguard commodities exports to UK …
E-commerce first round: negotiators focus on finding common ground
Diplomats of more than 75 countries met in Geneva this week to formally start negotiations to set rules for trade in the 21st century in the World Trade Organization. The aim is to achieve a so-called ‘plurilateral’ agreement among a subset of organisation members which others could join later.
International trade: EU must start preparing for the worst and resist own Trumpian sirens
After European elections later this month, the challenge in Europe will be to keep our nations’ own Trumpian instincts at bay and position ourselves as a safe haven in a turbulent world, writes Iana Dreyer.
UK Lords vote for customs union with EU, parliamentary approval of FTA mandates
Britain’s upper house has approved motions calling for the United Kingdom to remain within a customs union with the European Union, and for enhanced parliamentary scrutiny of future UK free trade agreement negotiations.
Blog: Brexit and agriculture TRQs dominate week in WTO
Geneva officials are busy with meetings at the World Trade Organization. Ahead of Friday’s General Council meeting where we can expect a big showdown on all things Appellate Body and WTO ‘reform’, here a short update on some other committee meetings held so far this week. The focus was Brexit …
