News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Tuesday, May 6, 2025
The European Union’s heads of government significantly amended their conclusions on trade policy in the night from Thursday to Friday, offering more detailed guidance on what they want in terms of World Trade Organization reforms – a goal the EU formally set itself this spring. The Council officially remains silent …
It’s been an eventful week in Brussels, culminating with the ongoing European Council – which we will cover separately. The fear of US tariffs on autos, that the multilateral trading system will unravel and China, and frustrations at the slow pace of Brexit negotiations (here and here) have all dominated …
European companies exported an additional €4.8 billion in goods and services last year thanks to the removal of a record number of trade barriers, the European Commission says. But EU exporters noted a dramatic increase in protectionism in 2017, as trade partners including China, Russia and South Africa created more …
European Commission vice president Jyrki Katainen prepared the groundwork for an EU-China summit in mid-July during today’s high-level economic and trade dialogue meeting in Beijing. The dialogue, initially set up in 2008, has never been much more than a talking shop. But it looks like this time could be different. …
It’s been a packed week in Brussels on trade. The EU formally launched trade negotiations with Australia and New Zealand. Trade commissioner Cecilia Malmström engaged in a real joyful tweetfest as she travelled Down Under. We interviewed the Australian ambassador to the EU (in case you missed it). The …
Relations between the US and many of its trade partners were bad enough that there was really no need to add fuel on the fire by tossing out fresh incendiary comments. But that’s just what US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross did yesterday by calling for an even “more painful” environment …
After the European Commission and member states agreed this spring to accelerate the pace of internal procedures to get the EU-Japan and EU-Singapore free trade agreements ratified, the Vietnam pact concluded in 2015 was largely seen as set aside. But there’s movement to try to approve the deal before European …
A top European Commission trade official painted a bleak picture of transatlantic relations to a European Parliament committee today, saying US import duties on steel and aluminium as well as possible tariffs on foreign cars and car parts are “clearly detrimental” and potentially catastrophic for world trade. The outlook …
The EU is launching bilateral trade agreement negotiations with Australia. In an interview with Borderlex’s Iana Dreyer, Australian Ambassador to the EU Justin Brown shares his views on the crisis of the multilateral system, the solutions Australia and the EU could offer, and the tough nuts that need cracking to …
If the EU wants to avoid losing a potential World Trade Organization dispute following its decision to phase out palm and soybean oil-based biofuels, it will need to prove its environmenal criteria are objective. For political reasons, that will be difficult, as this might involve displeasing EU rapeseed and sunflower …
