News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Friday, April 25, 2025
This week has seen two ‘strategic’ initiatives: the launch of a new paper on EU-US relations and the upgrading of EU-ASEAN relations post RCEP. Here other developments of potential interest. Dombrovksis talks to French Senate – Paris CETA ratification date unclear Nobody knows yet when the French government will put …
In an interview with Borderlex, the Energy Charter Treaty’s secretary-general Urban Rusnák said: “In one or two years I expect to have a new Energy Charter Treaty as complement to the Paris climate agreement.“
The European Union and China have been negotiating a bilateral investment agreement for seven years. Are they anywhere close to concluding a deal? It is not yet entirely clear how mature the negotiations are with China nor how close the parties to having close-to-consolidated treaty language ready for politicians to …
It’s been quite a week, with the World Trade Organization’s chief resigning on Thursday, adding another twist to the ongoing drama in the world trading system. But other news have been drowned in the process. A selection below. Hogan wants to move fast to replace WTO’s Azevêdo The European Union’s …
The process of ending intra-European Union bilateral investment treaties has created much bitterness and resentment between the European Commission and member states as well as among EU capitals. It is now coming to an end although a big battle still lies in an Energy Charter Treaty context. The long-standing internal …
In a landmark opinion released today the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that the ‘investment court system’ established between the European Union and Canada to resolve disputes between international investors and host jurisdictions covered by the agreement is compatible with EU law. The main issue was whether …
MEPs are preparing the ground to ratify the EU-Singapore free trade and investment protection agreements in the hope this can be done early next year. “We have kept waiting our Singaporean friends for quite some time,” David Martin, rapporteur on ASEAN trade, said during today’s trade committee meeting. The original …
The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law has an opportunity this week to keep pace with the other developments around the world challenging ISDS by using bold and creative thinking. Such innovation is not beyond UNCITRAL’s mandate, argues Rob Howse. Nothing unites critics of globalization these days …
Put on your seatbelt and get prepared for a crazy ride this week.
There was a significant increase in investment policies that restrict foreign investments over the last six months, according to UNCTAD, the United Nations trade and investment policy advisory body. The period from November 2017 to February 2018 “saw a remarkable increase in investment restrictions or regulations”, UNCTAD’s latest Investment …
