News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Saturday, April 26, 2025
European Union member states’ mandate to the European Commission to lead negotiations to establish a multilateral investment court look very different from the text the executive body tabled to them last September. What emerges clearly from the text: member states want full control of the process. Council members today …
Two of the biggest trade issues hanging over the EU will be on various agendas this week: the draft Brexit withdrawal and transition agreement, and the bloc’s ongoing efforts to avoid pending US steel and aluminium tariffs. European leaders are set to accept the draft agreement, but it’s anyone’s guess …
Almost all of the more than 50 World Trade Organization members that India invited to next week’s “mini-ministerial” plan to attend, but the two-day meeting is expected to accomplish little to tackle problems that have dogged the WTO for years. India decided to hold the informal gathering after the …
To avert tariffs on steel and aluminium, the EU might consider developing its own ‘golf course diplomacy’, if one follows the friendly advice of a former US diplomat. The EU is trying to convince the United States to exempt it from planned punitive tariffs on its exports of steel …
Peter Altmaier’s nomination at the helm of Germany’s powerful economics ministry today comes as no surprise. Angela Merkel’s former chief of staff takes over from a ministry held until recently by the SPD, as part of the coalition deal that gave the even mightier finance ministry to the centre-left’s Olaf …
The same day that Dennis Shea was sworn in as the top US envoy to the World Trade Organization, Washington submitted a revised proposal to toughen up rules for countries to meet deadlines for notifying agricultural subsidies and other trade measures. Although there were no changes in the proposed penalties …
What comes next in the EU-US row over President Donald Trump’s decision to slap import tariffs on steel and aluminium on national security grounds is not entirely clear. Uncertainty is part of the game. Experts familiar with Washington politics tend to think that the US president is in for some …
Anyone with a backlog of work should try to catch up on it this week, as the trade agenda is rather thin and next week is packed. The top news out of Brussels in the next few days may well focus on the Brexit draft guidelines, which are the subject …
Good news for some, bad news for others yesterday, as US President Donald Trump pushed forward with plans to impose tariffs on foreign steel and aluminium – arguing that the levies were necessary for national security and to stop the “assault on our country” – hours after the 11 remaining members of …
US President Donald Trump announced yesterday that his country would apply import tariffs on steel and aluminium of 25% and 10% respectively on national security grounds. The announcement was expected. Trump decided to exempt Canada and Mexico, close neighbours, major suppliers of these metals, and fellow members of the …
