News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Tuesday, April 29, 2025
So far, six World Trade Organization members have lodged complaints challenging President Donald Trump’s assertion that tariffs on steel and aluminium are needed to protect US national security. They are broadly similar, but hardly identical, and some of the differences are quite noteworthy. More members have ganged together in …
The future of the landmark EU-Canada free trade agreement CETA was thrown into doubt as Italy’s agriculture minister said his country would not ratify the accord because it didn’t sufficiently protect the names of certain Italian cheeses. The geographical indications chapter of the deal was contentious both with Canada …
After the disastrous Group of Seven summit in Canada, the EU will need to find ways to keep calm, focus on saving the WTO’s dispute settlement system and address some of the root causes of its disputes with the US – not least Germany’s current account surplus, argues Iana Dreyer.
Expect plenty of post-Group of Seven summit articles in the aftermath of the two-day meeting that ended in the escalation of a clash over trade and US President Donald Trump’s refusal to endorse a communique. Closer to home, the focus will be on meetings of the Council, the Trade Policy …
The main obsession in Brussels this week has been the EU-US trade spat. All eyes will be on the Group of Seven meeting in Canada. Mercosur and EU negotiators have been working until the time of writing on narrowing gaps on ‘geographical indications’ protection and Mercosur’s offer on autos (rules of origin …
The first day of this weekend’s Group of Seven summit is set to turn into the Group of Six vs One, if recent Twitter exchanges are anything to go by. The one, in this case, as US President Donald Trump, who has already announced that he’ll skip tomorrow’s sessions on …
Switzerland is caught between a rock and hard place as the trade frictions between the European Union and the United States intensify. The Swiss are also seeking an exemption from planned EU safeguard measures on the metals. Switzerland is a small, open trading nation at the heart of Europe …
The EU says it’s complied with the latest World Trade Organization ruling that found illegal European aid for Airbus remains in place. The US disagrees. It will now be up to the WTO – yet again – to decide. The EU requested consultations with the US today to discuss …
The policy machinery in response to US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on EU steel and aluminium is churning as planned. The College of Commissioners approved the final list of products on which it will apply duties on US imports as part of a retaliatory move to counter the metals levies. …
There’s only one big event on the Brussels trade agenda this week – another negotiating round with Mercosur – but that doesn’t mean the coming days will be quiet. Between the start of US tariffs on European steel and aluminium, the EU’s decision to respond with a World Trade Organization …
