News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Monday, May 5, 2025
The target set to China to increase its imports in a series of products by a value of US$ 200 billion in the next two years set in the so-called Phase One agreement between Washington and Beijing clinched last week will lead to China diverting imports and purchases from other …
The European Commission has circulated initial proposals to an ‘expert group’ on the extent of suspensions of duty-free-quota-free export rights it currently grants to Cambodia. Apparel, footwear, travel goods and sugar from the fast-growing South East Asian country are among the products that will face the reintroduction of duties and …
INTA MEPs have voted in favour of the EU Vietnam free trade agreement, with 29 votes in favour, 6 votes against, and 5 abstentions. MEPs spent significant time adding amendments to an accompanying resolution that delves on environment, labour and human rights issues. “There is a lot of homework in …
At a gathering hosted by the largest umbrella group for European business in Monday in Brussels, the EU’s trade commissioner was given a first opportunity to talk about EU-China relations and to debrief on his first official trip to Washington last week. The EU and China are currently intensely working …
Good morning. A heavy-duty week lies ahead in EU trade. China rock and US hard place There is China. The EU is still reeling from the fallout of the US-China trade agreement concluded as a ‘truce’ to end the mutual tariff escalation triggered by Washington in 2018. Be it the …
Beaming in from Washington into a conference hosted by former trade commissioner Peter Mandelson in London on Thursday, Phil Hogan gave a most down-to-earth assessment of the current trade policy situation in Washington. Hogan’s approach to the United States so far is to seek to avoid further escalation of bilateral …
With the United States failing to deliver changes to Chinese subsidies and state-owned enterprise practices in the small trade ‘deal’ it is about to sign with Beijing, Washington appears keener to cooperate with other countries to address more ‘structural’ issues with the Asian behemoth. The EU and US are also …
The European Commission’s director general for trade Sabine Weyand was quoted in Bloomberg today on the EU’s trade relations with the United States as thus: “If you deal with partners who link up trade policy with security and with industrial policy, et cetera, well, you have to up your game …
This week was mainly about the EU getting back into business mode. The main focus has been on preparing the ground for trade negotiations starting next month with the United Kingdom and managing transatlantic relations. More below. Commissioner Breton toys with idea of a data localisation obligations for business data …
Photo credit: WTO. EU Commissioner Phil Hogan, who met WTO DG Roberto Azevedo, a few days before taking office as trade commissioner in November oast year, will be in charge of devising a new EU strategy to revive the WTO and put the Appellate Body mechanism back to work. A …
