News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Saturday, April 26, 2025
Since free trade talks between the EU and the South American bloc Mercosur were revived in 2016, there has been no serious negotiation on one of the most sensitive topics in their trading relationship: sugar. But EU and Brazil sugar industries are already active on the battleground over what could …
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 …
The European Commission, the Council and the European Parliament reached a political agreement in their ‘trilogue’ talks regarding unilateral trade preferences the EU is planning to grant Ukraine. The deal was sealed late in the night of 13 June 2017. The final offer to Ukraine could be made during …
The Council meeting on agriculture and fisheries held in Brussels on Monday (12 June 2017) lay bare a deep divide over ongoing trade policy between a group of countries made up of Southern European countries, Ireland, and Central and Eastern European countries, and the rest of the EU. Eleven countries called on the EU to take a cautious …
The article was updated on 05/06/2017 8.25 CET. Council president Donald Tusk hailed the 19th EU China summit in Brussels this week as “the most promising summit” with China he ever attended. EU leaders held the press waiting for more than three hours before announcing little concrete steps …
The British wine industry is not happy about the effects of Brexit on their trade. But longer term, prospects for British consumers could improve. “It’s a bit gloomy”, said Jancis Robinson, a leading British wine writer and Financial Times columnist. The British public will have to “drink less, and less …
The last days have been filled with bits and bobs of information on EU trade worth sharing:
A new House of Lords report on British agriculture trade after Brexit calls on the government in London to seek a transitional arrangement with the EU to help British farmers adapt to a new environment. The key concerns expressed by farm groups include the future of agriculture subsidies, and …
The WTO’s dispute settlement panel has broadly endorsed a claim brought against the EU by China regarding a tariff rate quota extension for chicken. In 2012, the EU extended its WTO quotas to Thailand and Brazil, two major exporters of poultry. China, whose exports to the EU had increased significantly …
Update Friday 24 March 2017: the EU has asked Brazil to suspend its beef shipments voluntarily, to avoid having to impose a bigger import ban. Brazil has refused. EU meat producers are calling for more controls on imports of Brazilian beef amidst a local meat scandal, and for caution …
