News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Friday, April 25, 2025
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 …
It’s been one of those weeks again. On trade: a round of talks with Indonesia, discussions on Mercosur, packed meetings in the European Parliament, Brexit and transatlantic issues all over. The EU Japan EPA’s signature ceremony was postponed to next Tuesday in Tokyo. Below other highlights. Juncker meeting with Donald …
The next two weeks are notable for all the rounds of trade negotiations: the EU will hold talks with China and Indonesia this week and then with Mercosur and New Zealand next week. In between, EU and Japanese officials will sign their economic partnership and strategic partnership agreements. But perhaps …
It may become one of the fastest pieces of legislation ever adopted in the European Union. Plans are moving quickly to introduce EU-wide rules for the screening of foreign direct investments. These were introduced in September 2017 in response to calls from France, Germany and Italy to keep an eye …
The European Parliament wants to enact legislation on the screening of foreign takeovers swiftly, before EU institutions shut down in the early months of next year ahead of European elections. This is why the committee on international trade voted for anticipated inter-institutional – or ‘trilogue’ – negotiations with the Council …
European lawmakers are in for a busy week, with key debates and plenary votes planned on key issues including looming US tariffs on steel and aluminium and how to protect the bloc from dumped or subsidised imports from non-EU trade partners. INTA to vote on investment screening draft …
Two events will happen in Brussels this week that merit close attention: the European Parliament’s international trade committee will discuss a range of headline-worthy issues during its two-day meeting and the Working Party on Trade Questions will discuss investment screening. The churn on Article 50 negotiations between the EU27 and …
