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 FTAs & bilateral ties
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, …
Autumn 2021 EU trade policy: in the shadow of German elections
The European Union’s trade policy agenda will be overshadowed by a hiatus in the coming months as the Franco-German duo faces domestic elections. Nonetheless, pathbreaking legislation ranging from procurement to supply chains could still make headway.
Week in Brussels: EU US talk talks on steel and TTC, Caspary procurement report, ESA EPA upgrade
If anything, this week in trade in Brussels was about preparing the ground for what comes next in the autumn 2021.
EU New Zealand FTA : Wellington wants a third tariff offer
The EU and New Zealand released this week their versions of the last round of negotiations towards their goal of concluding a free trade agreement The main highlight of the round was the EU’s second market access offer to New Zealand. Whereas the EU is optimistic an agreement will soon …
EU-Mercosur : Contours of a limited deal on public procurement
The fact that the EU had concluded its least ambitious agreement on public procurement in a free trade agreement in many years with the four member countries of the Mercosur was well known. The recent release of the fine print of the mutual market access offers in the trade pillar …
Commission keeps hopes alive for trade talk relaunch with Morocco
There is not only CBAM, the United States or Mercosur in EU trade policy. There is also Morocco. Trade relations with the EU’s southern neighbour were the focus of a dedicated session in the international trade committee this week. The MEPs’ exchange of views with Commission official comes amidst heavy …
IISD: Canada, EU should seek negotiated agreement on border carbon adjustment
Canada is preparing to introduce a carbon border adjustment measure whose contours are not yet known. Canada and the European Union vowed at a bilateral summit mid-June to “exchange on respective approaches to carbon pricing and WTO-compatible border carbon adjustments”. A think tank is now making concrete proposals on how …
Slovenian presidency puts America first in its plans for EU trade policy
Slovenia took over the reins of the Council less than two weeks ago and will have to steer the European Union’s trade policy through choppy waters in the coming six months. Speaking at the European Parliament on Tuesday (13 July) Zdravko Počivalšek, Slovenia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic …
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 …
