S Iswaran, Singapore’s Minister-in-Charge of Trade Relations spoke to Borderlex’s founder Iana Dreyer about his country’s’ vision for 21st century trade policy and how the European Union fits in all this. The conversation covers digital, tackling supply chain issues and the climate challenge.
South Asia & ASEAN
COMMENT: Digital Partnerships in Asia -Pacific: EU needs to be more than non-committal
Is this the European Union’s approach to ‘digital partnerships’ in the Indo-Pacific just fluff? At the very least one can say it is much too timid.
Slumbering EU FTA agenda gets small boost from Ukraine war
Much is in flux in the European Union’s geostrategic – hence also trade policy – positioning following the war in Ukraine. A lot will also depend on how China positions itself on this matter in the coming weeks and months. But diversification of trade relationships is now on top of …
EU, India prepare to launch trade, investment agreement talks
The European Parliament’s international trade committee has begun work on plans to negotiate a trade, an investment protection and a geographical indications agreement between the European Union. This comes as the European Commission and the Indian government are preparing the ground to start working on concrete legal treaty text proposals …
EU and Singapore to prepare the ground for digital partnership talks
The EU and Singapore will soon formally start preparing the ground to start negotiations towards a digital partnership agreement. These ‘scoping’ talks will be held within the framework of an already existing two-year-old bilateral free trade agreement and form part of a dedicated working group under the deal’s Joint Committee.
Week in Brussels: MEP China report, ASEAN, Dombrovskis in Geneva
It’s been an intense week in trade policy in Brussels, focused on preparations of the Trade and Tech Council with the United States to be held late September 2021. This week saw the launch of the first EU-wide Indo-Pacific strategy. The latter was overshadowed by a blow to French interests …
EU sets sights on Indo-Pacific to roll out its digital ambitions
The European Union’s trade policy plans in the Indo-Pacific strongly focus strongly on the digital aspect of things, a new Communication unveiled today confirms. The EU is rolling out its Global Gateway – a pendant to China’s Belt and Road – through a new strategy initially requested by the EU’s member states. …
EU to seek deeper digital trade ties with Indo-Pacific partners
The European Commission and External Action Service are planning to unveil a proposal to start Digital Economy Partnership Agreement negotiations with Korea, Japan and Singapore as part of the European Union’s new Indo-Pacific strategy. The EU is also considering launching data privacy legislation “adequacy” negotiations with India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, …
Week in Brussels: ASEAN, Switzerland, Industrialists on China, FTA domestic advisory groups
Brussels in rushing to wrap up or move specific trade file to the next level before the summer break which begins late July. EU ASEAN to meet in Q3 to discuss region to region FTA ‘parameters’ Well, nothing came out of it apart from good intentions. The EU and ASEAN …
Week in Brussels: UK Contact Group, Vietnam FTA, digital platform sellouts
European Parliament sets up new UK Contact Group; EU Vietnam civil society dialogue postponed until further notice; France, Germany and Netherlands want even tougher rules on company takeovers by digital platforms.