Belarus might perhaps not quite be “the last dictatorship in Europe”. But it is definitely the last country in Europe that is not a member of the World Trade Organization. The former Soviet country and member of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union has recently been reforming its economy, which has been …
EU FTAs & bilateral ties
Extension of China solar duties faces setback in antidumping committee
The Commission faced a setback today when it tabled a proposal to extend for another two years antiduming duties and a price undertaking on solar panels from China. The measures, introduced in 2013, divided member states and the solar industry, and increased political tensions with Beijing. After an expiry review …
EU to extend trade defence measures against Chinese solar cells for two years
The EU is expected to renew antidumping measures and a ‘price undertaking’ in place since 2013 on solar panel cells from China on Thursday (26 January 2017). The move comes after a one-year expiry review of measures that had provoked significant frictions with China and divided the renewables industry in …
Armenia and Moldova in EU pact realignments
This article was written in collaboration with Carmen Valache from our editorial partner, the Wider Europe specialist BNE Intellinews After calling off its deep and comprehensive free trade agreement (DCFTA) with the EU in 2013 in order to join the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), Armenia is now pursuing a revamped …
In brief: US and EU agree on pharma deal – WTO TRIPs waiver for pharmaceuticals comes into force
The EU and US have finalised an agreement among regulators today that mutually recognises each party’s ‘good manufacturing practices’ for pharmaceuticals. Pharma was also source of news from Geneva today. The EU-US agreement, initially part of the regulatory package of the now dormant Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Agreement is an update to a …
EU free trade agreement negotiation round-up
“The trade agenda is not stopping”, a senior trade official in the Commission told trade professionals in Brussels today. The transatlantic TTIP and TiSA (Trade in Services Agreement) were suspended in late 2016. The incoming Donald Trump administration is leaving many United States trade partners orphans of the Transpacific Partnership and making protectionism victims – notably NAFTA’s …
EU, US say TTIP can be concluded conditional on “political will”
“The progress we have achieved so far gives us confidence that, with continued engagement by both sides, and with the political will to prioritize long-term gains for our economies and our broader relationship, the United States and the EU could achieve what we set out to do in 2013: conclude …
Last ditch attempt to overcome row over CETA Joint Committee ahead of Parliament ratification
Shadow rapporteur for the left-of-centre S&D group, Romanian MEP Sorin Moisa, has been trying to defuse a fresh crisis brewing in the group over CETA ahead of a trade committee vote. The disagreement is about the powers of the treaty’s coordinating body, the so-called Joint Committee. Moisa believes clarifications offered …
In brief: Trump threatens German carmaker’s planned Mexican operation with punitive tariffs
US president-elect Donald Trump, who is set to take the reins of power on 20 January 2017, has told Germany’s top tabloid newspaper Bild Zeitung, that BMW, one of Germany’s top carmakers, would face a 35 percent import duty on 3 Series sedans it is planning to start building in San …
Transatlantic : EU and US make last trade gestures before Obama administration folds
An era of uncertainty opens in transatlantic relations, as in exactly one week President Obama (20 January 2017) will hand over the reins of power to Donald Trump. The US administration will focus on settling into working mode and not enter major trade negotiations for several months at least. US trade policy is also expected …
