News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Saturday, April 26, 2025
This week has seen two ‘strategic’ initiatives: the launch of a new paper on EU-US relations and the upgrading of EU-ASEAN relations post RCEP. Here other developments of potential interest. Dombrovksis talks to French Senate – Paris CETA ratification date unclear Nobody knows yet when the French government will put …
Suddenly it all happened. Commenting on the outcome of an EU-ASEAN ministerial meeting today on social media, Gunnar Wiegand, who leads Asian affairs at the European External Action Service said the gathering was “not a routine meeting, but a historic step”. Strategic partnership and palm oil dialogue Due to, among …
The European Union brought its first dispute under a bilateral free trade agreement against Korea. The EU alleges that Korea’s failure to ratify several International Labour Organisation core conventions, in particular Convention 87 on freedom of association of workers, is a breach of its terms under their 2010 trade pact. …
If one is to believe Charles Michel, Angela Merkel and Ursula von der Leyen, today’s online Leaders’ Meeting with China’s president Xi Jinping was productive.
A report by the China Chamber of Commerce to the European Union reveals a few key Beijing ‘asks’ in current negotiations as EU China meetings and negotiations are set to intensify this autumn.
This summer, the European Commission withdrew trade preferences granted to Cambodia. Cambodia benefited from duty-free-quota free trade under the EU’s Everything-But-Arms aimed at the world’s poorest countries. The partial withdrawal affects one fifth of the the South East Asian country’s garment and shoes exports. Despite calls this summer to take …
It’s very rare to hold two High Level Economic Dialogues between the EU and China within two months – the last one was on 10 June. But the times are exceptional enough to warrant it. The two sides did not release a joint statement after the meeting. But the European …
The European Union and India decided today to upgrade their diplomatic relationships on a variety of fronts during a virtual bilateral summit between the Indian prime minister and the heads of the European Council and Commission. A bilateral ‘dialogue’ will be the main vehicle driving the process. The meeting between …
It’s been one of those relatively low-key weeks on trade in Brussels – which only prepare the ground for more intense meetings and developments later on. Hogan back in action To start with: Phil Hogan is back! After a ‘purdah’ period imposed on him by his bosses while he was …
There was no joint statement of any sort after Xi Jinping, Li Kequiang, Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen hosted a lengthy online summit today. Instead, we were issued a statement from the European Union leaders on what the bloc wants to see from China over the next months. …
