News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Monday, April 28, 2025
Palm oil growers have signalled they could take the European Union to the World Trade Organization’s dispute settlement body over its new biofuels regulation. The EU is preparing a definitive version of a ‘delegated act’ pertaining to its new Renewable Energy Directive that sets the environmental criteria required for biofuels …
This week’s special focus has been transatlantic trade negotiations (here and here) and Brexit-related British trade policy (here, here, here). But we also got an update on EU Taiwan relations. Below other noteworthy news or updates. Brazil retaliates against EU steel safeguards We are facing another episode in the global steel trade …
The European Commission’s 2015 Trade For All strategy promised Taiwan a bilateral investment agreement. Almost four years on, there is no sign of any such deal. There was indeed one caveat in trade commissioner Cecilia Malmström’s promise to Taipei: a similar deal with Beijing needed concluding first. Yet the conclusion of …
The European Parliament voted by an overwhelming majority today in favour of an EU-wide investment screening mechanism. Here the main points of the new piece of legislation.
The European Parliament gave its assent to the EU Singapore free trade agreement, to a separate investment protection agreement, and to a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement today. The trade pact did less well than the EU Japan Economic Partnership Agreement voted in last December. The Singapore FTA received 425 votes …
Tired of gloomy trade news? Let’s have some fun today. Here four numbers worth playing around with this week. 750 000 000 That’s the number of US $ worth of economic output Italy alone could lose should the United States close off its market to German autos and parts. The …
The EU is threatening to suspend imports from Cambodia due to human and labour right violations. But the products under discussion for suspension are precisely those where the EU has a track record of entrenched protectionism. This looks like a clear case of double standards, opines Iana Dreyer.
It’s been an intense week on the Brexit front as European Union free trade agreements start being rolled over and gradually transformed by exiting Britain, and ‘No Deal’ Brexit is keeping EU agribusiness awake at night. Loads in our Brexit section here. Transatlantic, Vietnam and the EU’s own sneaky protections …
European businesses operating in Vietnam warn that their investments might turn sour if the EU Vietnam Free Trade Agreement does not come into force this year. The move comes as the pact faces renewed delays in Brussels. Parliament postpones work on Vietnam pacts On Monday, the chairman of the European Parliament’s …
