There is nothing concrete to expect out of the meetings Argentinean President Mauricio Macri has held in Paris this week-end and in Brussels today. Buenos Aires is seeking reassurance that the EU Mercosur negotiations, relaunched in May, will go ahead, despite the likelihood of the United Kindgom leaving the EU …
EU FTAs & bilateral ties
CETA ratification saga: EPP endorses Commission view – France ready to block
The CETA ratification saga continues unfolding. There’s been a stir since Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker announced on Wednesday that the Commission would put the Canada EU trade deal CETA to the member states next week with the suggestion that it is a deal that falls under the exclusive competence of …
EU Turkey customs union : Commission hopes for mandate on upgrade in late 2016
The process leading up to the formal launch of the planned negotiations to modernise the EU-Turkey customs union is taking shape, Cecilia Mallström told the Parliament’s trade committee today. “We have high ambitions”, Malmström said. “The goal is to have services, procurement – for the first time – and go …
Berlin consternation in face of CETA national parliament bypass push
EU Commission President Juncker weighed in: the Commission sees CETA, the trade deal with Canada, as falling under “exclusive” EU competence and thus not requiring ratification by national parliaments. This is causing consternation in Berlin, though there are differences in point of view between Chancellor Angela Merkel’s CDU party and …
Brexit could tilt political power balance in TDI reform and China MES – experts
The UK will likely stay out of major decisions in trade policy before it even formally leaves the EU. This will affect major files including the hot China market economy status issue. The UK is still a member of the EU and will formally have the right to participate …
Brexit: Commission in drive to stick to business as usual on trade agreements
The Commission has vowed to stick to its current trade policy plans despite the challenge to its unity and to its resources posed by the pending withdrawal of Britain from the EU. In a defiant statement on Monday, trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström responded to questions about whether the United …
Chances of TTIP conclusion this year waning as France pulls brakes
The outcome of the United Kingdom referendum of 23 June 2016 on its relationship with the EU is clear: priority is now to sort out the situation, and not finalising the flagship transatlantic trade deal TTIP currently under negotiations on both sides of the Atlantic. Brexit also means the French are ready …
In brief – Greek MEP up in arms against EU SADC compromise on feta cheese denomination
Stelios Kolouglou (GUE/NGL) has staged an offensive against the EU Southern African Development Community EPA signed early June in Botswana. In amendments to a motion for a resolution currently under preparation by the Parliament’s trade committee, Mr Kolouglou, along with the Italian MEP Eleonora Forenza, have decided to “decline …
Commission and EEAS launch new China strategy – emphasis on trade, investment and One China policy
Is Federica Mogherini taking the lead on China policy in the EU’s executive? There are signs this is so. The EEAS and the Commission have issued a joint communication on “Elements for a new EU strategy on China”. China was largely absent from the Commission’s November 2015 Trade For All …
Protectionism reports: India, Brazil, Russia, and trade defence in focus
New EU Commission and a WTO/OECD reports highlight latest protectionist trends in G20.
