News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Monday, May 5, 2025
If you expected a rapid-reaction ‘big bazooka’ coming out of the European Commission to respond to the current Appellate Body impasse and allow the EU to ‘defend its interests’ as soon as this year – then you forgot that you were in the EU. When the capitals are divided – …
European negotiators involved in the ongoing talks on e-commerce among a subset of World Trade Organization members made relatively upbeat comments about the state of negotiations that hope to set rules for the global digital economy in the 21st Century. Speaking to MEPs on Wednesday in Brussels, Phil Hogan said: …
The EU unveiled two policy strategy papers today on its approach to artificial intelligence and to data that might seem as a disappointment to hard-core proponents of European ‘digital sovereignty’. But will come as a relief to many digital industries and to trading partners that feared a protectionist turn in …
In his first appearance in the international trade committee of the European Parliament trade commissioner Phil Hogan laid out his vision on where he wants to see trade policy move under his leadership. His were preliminary thoughts, as the new Irish trade commissioner promised further details in a new “policy …
Did you expect the European Union to quickly come up with a revamped ‘enforcement regulation’ ? Don’t hold your breath. France, among others, wants this to become a bigger piece of legislation than originally envisaged by the European Commission.
The European Union is preparing to re-launch free trade agreement negotiations with Thailand, a key member of the South East Asian grouping ASEAN.
Good morning, a few things to watch out for this week. On Tuesday, the Dutch lower house will vote on the ratification of CETA, the flagship trade agreement with Canada signed in 2016 and which is already partially in force. Though the Dutch are famed for being a trading nation …
Some week-end reading after many developments this week on EU ASEAN trade: Vietnam FTA, trade preference withdrawal for Cambodia, GSP reports on Myanmar and the Philippines, and an EU ASEAN Senior Officials meeting. Commentary by Borderlex editor Iana Dreyer.
The European Commission released a widely anticipated ‘delegated act’ in which, for the first time in the scheme’s almost fifteen-year history, suspends free trade rights for one of the poorest countries in the world. About 20% of Cambodian exports to the EU are covered by the planned preference withdrawal measures. …
MEPs adoped a bilateral free trade agreement with Vietnam by 401 votes in favour. They also voted in favour of an investment protection agreement with Vietnam. More from us later today.
