April could see a slowdown in decision-making in trade policy in Brussels. But this does not mean there will be less anxiety over two major files: EU-US trade relations and Brexit. In April we will also see new developments on EU-Chile and EU-Tunisia trade negotiations and on e-commerce. Continued EU-US, …
EU FTAs & bilateral ties
A week in Brussels: Brexit, IPI, where is the Vietnam FTA?
So, dear friends, we are going into a week-end with the United Kingdom ready to default into a no-deal Brexit on 12 April. Or most likely there will be a long extension of its EU membership, and potentially general (and European) elections…. This week was dominated by wrangles between France …
Comment: We won, both losers said
If it weren’t for the amounts of money involved in the case and in the fifteen-year-old legal saga, one could dismiss the triumphant statements made by the European Union and the United States after yesterday’s Appellate Body ruling as childish boasting. What’s important now for the future viability of the …
Capitals eye April for EU US trade negotiation mandates
“France is testing the patience of others to limits” said a member state official in Brussels today. The statement captures the mood in Council as Paris is seen as the last country dragging its feet in the process of authorising the European Commission to initiate trade negotiations with the United …
EU 5G cybersecurity recommendations complicate EU-China investment game
The European Union released new recommendations to member states related to strengthening the security of its 5G networks. But will this complicate the EU’s investment negotiations with China further? A lot of this will be mediated by one factor: the United States. The new EU recommendations are part of a …
Member states agree to relaunch procurement ‘reciprocity’ legislation
Caution. That’s how one could sum up the decisions taken by European Union heads of government today in Brussels on China and on the United States. Council conclusions released this afternoon largely endorse the policy proposals tabled by the European Commission last week to address concerns over reciprocity in market …
EU and China accuse US of throwing spanners in their trade dealings
The United States will be an uninvited guest at a coming EU-China summit in April. The meeting will be held in Brussels and is part of a wider European tour by president Xi Jinping, who will also make stops in Rome, Monaco, Paris and Croatia. China principally plans to expand …
Beyond Brussels: Brazil accepts to forego WTO developing country status
Two alpha-males met in Washington yesterday and displayed their mastery of the Art of the Deal. But it’s worth looking at at the fine print of the Brazil-United States understanding reached last night.
Week Ahead in EU Trade: Brexit, EU US, China, Myanmar and Cambodia
This week’s main focus will be on Brexit, EU-US relations, and China. Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, will also be on the agenda. Brexit and FTA rollovers The House of Commons might vote a third time on Britain’s withdrawal agreement with the EU on Tuesday or Wednesday if prime minister Theresa May …
EU-US trade relations: The way forward
Although they haven’t even started yet, United States-European Union trade talks already face major obstacles. Moving forward is critical to end the ‘tug of war’ between the US and EU. The best way to get there is to take a multifaceted approach aimed at both the transatlantic market and the …
