The European Parliament ratified the EU Japan Economic Partnership. Outcome: 474 votes in favour, 152 votes against, 40 abstensions.
EU FTAs & bilateral ties
Last-minute: Plenary to vote on Japan data legislation adequacy this week
It looks as if MEPs are confident they can get the required majority to pass the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, the landmark trade deal concluded late last year between the EU and Japan, after all. The European Parliament today confirmed that a vote scheduled for Wednesday would go ahead — …
A week in Brussels: EU industry says no to steel safeguards, India data adequacy, Brexit TRQs
This week’s top stories: Britain and services in the WTO, a big bazooka in the WTO’s dispute settlement body, a Japan deal at risk of falling victim to German and other social-democratic political decline, member states wrangling over rice imports from Myanmar and Cambodia. But also these stories here: Top …
Beyond Brussels: Chinese perspectives on WTO reform
China has joined a host of other World Trade Organization members in calling for WTO reforms and is actively working on its own proposal on how to tackle problems at the Geneva-based trade body. But with many Chinese policies in the crosshairs of a joint reform proposal by the EU, …
Social Democrat split casts shadow over EU-Japan EPA ratification
The European Parliament’s leaders sat down today to confirm that the EU-Japan Strategic Partnership Agreement and EU-Japan Economic Partnership were going to be put to MEPs for ratification next Wednesday in Strasbourg as planned. But persistent splits in the Socialists and Democrats group still cast a shadow over ratification.
Will commission break limbo on Myanmar and Cambodia rice safeguards?
EU governments are split in the face of proposals by the European Commission to reapply import protections on rice from Cambodia and Myanmar following an import surge from these countries. The two Asian countries, which qualify as least-developed countries, benefit from duty-free imports of rice under the EU’s General System …
Week ahead in EU trade: Asian FTAs, GSP, Section 232
G20 fallout December 2018 will be remembered as a decisive moment in European trade policy. Leaders came back to Europe from the G20 in Argentina over the week-end without securing a commitment by the big leaders to fight protectionism – although WTO reform is on the agenda of the world’s …
A week in Brussels: Samoa, WTO, Russia, ICTSD
As the EU gears up for the crucial G20 summit in Buenos Aires, below other developments in the world of European trade. Don’t forget to read up on Chris Horseman’s pieces on the UK’s accession to the GPA in Geneva and the state of play in Britain’s rollover of EU free …
Beyond Brussels: WTO paints bleak trade outlook ahead of G20 summit
It comes as little surprise that the World Trade Organization expects global merchandise trade to continue decelerating in the coming months – but it’s bad news, nonetheless. Mounting trade tensions, tighter credit conditions in key markets and waning business confidence have caused export orders to fall, the WTO said in …
Commentary: Italian populists are falling into line with EU on trade
Early fears that Italy’s populist government would block the EU’s trade agreement with Canada have proven unwarranted. Despite Trump-style rhetoric and ‘Italy first’ approaches, the populist government in Rome seems to have fallen in line with other EU governments on trade since taking power six months ago. The government is split …
