After the disastrous Group of Seven summit in Canada, the EU will need to find ways to keep calm, focus on saving the WTO’s dispute settlement system and address some of the root causes of its disputes with the US – not least Germany’s current account surplus, argues Iana Dreyer.
Miscellaneous EU trade files
Week ahead in EU trade: Council, TPC, Brexit, EU Parliament, Hong Kong
Expect plenty of post-Group of Seven summit articles in the aftermath of the two-day meeting that ended in the escalation of a clash over trade and US President Donald Trump’s refusal to endorse a communique. Closer to home, the focus will be on meetings of the Council, the Trade Policy …
A Week in Brussels: Polish schadenfreude, rapeseed vs palm oil, trumping ivory trade
The main obsession in Brussels this week has been the EU-US trade spat. All eyes will be on the Group of Seven meeting in Canada. Mercosur and EU negotiators have been working until the time of writing on narrowing gaps on ‘geographical indications’ protection and Mercosur’s offer on autos (rules of origin …
Beyond Brussels: Tweetfest darkens prospects of meaningful G7 summit
The first day of this weekend’s Group of Seven summit is set to turn into the Group of Six vs One, if recent Twitter exchanges are anything to go by. The one, in this case, as US President Donald Trump, who has already announced that he’ll skip tomorrow’s sessions on …
Steel and aluminium: Switzerland caught between US tariffs and EU safeguards
Switzerland is caught between a rock and hard place as the trade frictions between the European Union and the United States intensify. The Swiss are also seeking an exemption from planned EU safeguard measures on the metals. Switzerland is a small, open trading nation at the heart of Europe …
EU tariffs on US products to kick in next month
The policy machinery in response to US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on EU steel and aluminium is churning as planned. The College of Commissioners approved the final list of products on which it will apply duties on US imports as part of a retaliatory move to counter the metals levies. …
Week ahead in EU trade: Mercosur, US duties, aluminium, G-7, Brexit, UNCTAD
There’s only one big event on the Brussels trade agenda this week – another negotiating round with Mercosur – but that doesn’t mean the coming days will be quiet. Between the start of US tariffs on European steel and aluminium, the EU’s decision to respond with a World Trade Organization …
Flash! EU files WTO complaint against Chinese IP practices
Today the EU launched legal proceedings in the against Chinese forced technology tranfsers. More from us soon.
EU to initiate WTO dispute over US tariffs
The EU is set to act on pledges it has made over the last few weeks ahead of the imposition of US tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminium adopted on national security grounds. “Now that we have clarity, the EU’s response will be proportionate and in …
Azevêdo backs Macron’s call for ‘complete update’ of WTO rules
It’s time for the World Trade Organization to be modernised and strengthened, says WTO chief Roberto Azevêdo, backing calls by French President Emmanuel Macron for an overhaul of global trade rules. Macron told leaders at the annual Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development forum yesterday that the world’s biggest …