News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Friday, April 25, 2025
In Europe, the tendency is to bundle together or even mix up Australia and New Zealand, the two neighbouring Oceanian countries. In trade, the two sometimes add to the confusion by at times signing free trade agreements with third countries together, such as in 2009 with their neighbour ASEAN. The …
This is a week of summits and negotiations: the EU will start talks with New Zealand, continue discussions with Mercosur and hold high-level meetings with China and Japan (delayed from last week). And toward the end of the week, when the World Trade Organization’s Dispute Settlement Body meets, we might …
The EU is transfixed by the trade war with the United States. This week was comparatively quiet in terms of trade meetings or negotiations – but the next couple of weeks will be packed. This week we’ve written on what World Trade Organization members have been telling the US …
Australia’s landmark win over Big Tobacco at the World Trade Organization paves the way for other countries to roll out similar laws requiring plain packaging for cigarettes and cigars. Yesterday’s ruling could also have implications for alcohol, sugary drinks and junk food packaging. WTO judges concluded in an 800-page …
The EU is launching bilateral trade agreement negotiations with Australia. In an interview with Borderlex’s Iana Dreyer, Australian Ambassador to the EU Justin Brown shares his views on the crisis of the multilateral system, the solutions Australia and the EU could offer, and the tough nuts that need cracking to …
This week promises to be busy, with the European Parliament’s trade committee debating a range of issues including EU ties with the US and Latin America, the launch of trade negotiations with Australia and New Zealand, and the start of the bloc’s tariffs against US goods to strike back at …
There’s little that is really new to report on the Foreign Affairs Council meeting held today in Brussels. The EU is not nurturing strong hopes to be exempted from import restrictions from the United States. Australia and New Zealand trade negotiations to begin by July As expected the …
China and the EU will resume talks on a bilateral investment treaty this week – but don’t count on much news from the discussions. The main stories are likely to come instead from tomorrow’s Foreign Affairs Council meeting, as ministers debate and decide on a range of trade-related issues including …
This has been another big week in EU trade. Member states managed to cobble together a joint approach to US President Donald Trump’s steel and aluminium tariff threat. The EU lost two World Trade Organization cases – the big-ticket Airbus case and the more symbolic Pakistan plastic pellets case …
There have been a few developments and clarifications on the variety of bilateral free trade agreements under way in the EU in recent days. So here are some updates on where things stand with Mexico, Singapore, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. EU-Mexico ‘agreement in principle’ – next steps …
