News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Peter Altmaier’s nomination at the helm of Germany’s powerful economics ministry today comes as no surprise. Angela Merkel’s former chief of staff takes over from a ministry held until recently by the SPD, as part of the coalition deal that gave the even mightier finance ministry to the centre-left’s Olaf …
The European Commission is communicating loudly on its intentions should US President Donald Trump follow through on his intention to slap import duties of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminium from Europe. Will Germany buy it? As widely reported and discussed on this website, the EU intends to …
Here bits of news from the two pivotal trade capitals outside Brussels on trade: Berlin and Paris. German coalition agreement homes in on fair trade The social democrats of Germany have clearly left their mark on the coming approach to trade policy going forward. That’s what one can …
In an interview with Borderlex, the European Parliament’s international trade committee chief Bernd Lange explains what he hopes to achieve before the European elections next year.
Today we will be brief….. Antique goods import licences to fight ISIS The Commission announced the launch of a new regulation that would require import licences for “archeological objects, part of monuments that have been dismembered and for rare manuscripts and incunabula” that are more than 250 years …
Diplomats at the G20 summit in Hamburg hosted by Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel managed to cobble together a compromise text promising not to resort to trade protectionism. Whether their joint statement will eliminate the threat of trade wars or, possibly, the tearing apart of the World Trade Organization, remains to be …
A new study released by the Washington-based Peterson Institute reveals that German, British and French steel exports are likely to be hit most by new trade retaliatory measures initiated and envisaged by the Donald Trump administration since it took office in January 2017. The US has initiated various antidumping measures …
“Long nurtured relationships as between the United States and Germany never only rely on individual persons or sharp statements”, warned Mark Wansleben, head of the German business organization DIHK after the G7 meeting in Taormina, Italy on 26 & 27 May 2017. The statements made to Handelsblatt, the leading German …
Ever wondered what the state of Bavaria thinks of the EU’s plans for a multilateral investment court? You can find out by ploughing through the many responses the public consultation led by the European Commission on its plans for a new mechanism to resolve disputes between international investors and states. …
Blocking the ratification process of CETA would be highly damaging to the EU’s international standing, Germany’s top judges believe. The ratification process of CETA, the EU-Canadian trade pact, is in full swing, as the European Parliament prepares to sign off on the agreement in the coming weeks. CETA is expected …
