This week is when the new European Commission team led by Ursula von der Leyen takes over the reins in the Berlaymont. US is watching The United States greeted its arrival with a message by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. “The United States looks forward to working with this new …
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Comment: The new European Commission’s key trade challenges ahead
Trade policy will be an instrument of choice for the new European Commission’s ambitious foreign and climate policy. But the von der Leyen programme also reveals many blind spots – not least on how to succeed in overhauling the World Treade Organization and in the EU’s immediate neighbourhood, opines Iana …
EU GSP: Three countries to be removed, vulnerability thresholds amended
Today, the Commission made official its intention to remove Nauru, Samoa and Tonga from its list of beneficiaires under its General System of Preferences. It also released an amendment to a ‘vulnerablity threshold’ that caps imports of certain products into the EU. “The recent release of World Bank statistics (1 …
Week Ahead: AB crunch time, US non hormone beef, Chile
Appellate Body WTO crunch time Well, this week the WTO system will be reeling from the next excuse the United States brought to postpone yet again its agreement to launch the appointment process of new Appellate Body members: remuneration. At the latest AB meeting on Friday, the US said that …
Week in Brussels: Singapore services, Indonesia, trade opinion and the European urban middle class
All good things happen on a Friday afternoon when everyone wants to head off into the week-end: the EU just released its offer to the United States towards the conformity assessment agreement they are currently negotiating. If you were wondering what to read over the week-end, here it is! High …
FAC Trade roundup – Appellate Body, China, responsible business conduct
It was a low-key gathering of trade ministers in chilly Brussels today. A good moment to gauge the ‘temperature’ on all things trade amongst EU governments. Today should have been the inaugural ministerial gathering for Phil Hogan, the nominated successor to Cecilia Malmström, who led the EU trade portfolio during …
EU steel safeguard focus point in WTO meeting
Usually World Trade Organization ‘safeguard committees’ are an understated, quiet affair. But Monday’s meeting in Geneva was different as it looked at a record number of 45 safeguard measures taken by members in recent months. The European Union’s own steel safeguard, in force since July 2018 and revised last month, …
Week Ahead: Singapore, FAC trade, e-commerce, DSB
This week, another EU free trade agreement will come into force: the one with Singapore. The trade pact is also flanked by a separate investment protection agreement. The FTA will liberalise trade in goods but also in particular services. EU firms will benefit from greater market openings in financial services, …
Week in Brussels: Woman thing, trade podcasts, fries, EU market access
So here our Friday column on the smaller but yet notable stories in European Union trade this week. It’s been a packed week. It’s also been an odd week with everyone left in limbo over potential US auto tariffs. The Woman thing and podcasts With Thierry Breton now likely confirmed …
Cambodia EBA withdrawal: Democracy enforcement by administrative fiat?
The European Commission is handling a major file related to upholding international democracy norms in Cambodia through trade policy in a rather secretive fashion. Is it really following the rules in doing so? The Cambodian government has one month to respond to calls from the European Union to give opposition …
