EU trade ministers are meeting in Bulgaria. The EU-ASEAN Business Summit and ASEAN Economic Ministers’ meeting will focus on trade and investment ties between the two regions. More details below: Foreign Affairs Council Trade EU trade ministers will have two main issues in mind at a meeting that …
EU FTAs & bilateral ties
The week in EU trade: Mercosur update, data, trade ministers
This week was truly packed with activities and events related to trade. The key focus has been Brexit – the transition period and future EU-UK relationship. These topics we now cover separately in dedicated articles and a new series of blogs, the Brexit Notes. The other key focus this week …
Mercosur in German NGO limelight
The EU is in the final stages of free trade negotiations with the South American bloc Mercosur. It is readying for the adoption of a new trade agreement with Japan and Vietnam. Anti trade agreement campaign groups have recently stepped up their activities to fight these agreements. A joint …
EU-Mexico negotiations stall
Mexican and EU negotiators are not closing in on a deal to modernise their almost two-decade-old Global Agreement. Trade commissioner Cecilia Malmström and agriculture commissioner Phil Hogan, who had held off a final decision to travel to Mexico City until today to meet the negotiators and broker sensitive compromises, …
Vietnam and EU blame each other for delay in FTA ratification process
Some people are getting impatient about the slow pace of ratification of the EU-Vietnam free trade agreement that was inked in 2015. Now, Vietnam and the European Commission are pointing fingers at each other over the delay. The ‘legal scrubbing’ of the trade deal has dragged on for more …
US Section 232 remedies seen as threat to EU aluminium, steel sectors
US proposals on how to punish foreign steel and aluminium exporters for unfair trade practices miss the point and would do more harm than good, European Aluminium says. Global excess capacity – specifically in China – is the “root cause of the main challenges” that the aluminium industry faces …
Week ahead in EU trade: Indonesia, Mercosur, Brexit, ‘conflict’ minerals, Vietnam
It’s going to be a packed week in Brussels, with everything from continuing trade talks with Mercosur and Indonesia and a new round of Brexit negotiations. And the European Parliament’s trade committee will also have a couple of busy days this week. EU, Indonesia to exchange tariff offers …
A week in Brussels – Taking on China – South America – ASEAN – Trade Valentines
With many people out of town skiing it’s been comparatively quiet in Brussels town itself. A lot happened actually outside of Brussels. Trade pros even got time to write #TradeValentines poems. EU and US join Japan in plans to take China to WTO over tech protectionism A new …
EESC resolution adds to pressure on FTA partners to respect ILO conventions
The European Economic and Social Council almost unanimously adopted a resolution yesterday calling on the EU to step up its efforts to give greater weight to labour and environment chapters – known as TSD chapters – in its free trade agreements. This move adds to a rising number of calls on …
Week ahead in EU trade: Mexico talks, TPC
It will be a quiet week in Brussels, as talks on the EU’s trade agreement with Mexico continue in Mexico City. Later in the week, the Trade Policy Committee will discuss efforts to revise the accord by adding farm products, more services, investment and government procurement, and including provisions on …