News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Friday, April 25, 2025
It’s been the kind of week that is sprinkled with a slew of ‘little’ news but little that is earth-shattering. Some news were rather big such as the launch of investment promotion agreement negotiations with Angola, the announcement that the EU and Kenya will apply their EPA bilaterally or the …
The European Union is planning to extend its three-year safeguard into imports of steel for another three years, in a move that is unprecedented in the EU’s trade defence history.
The European Union has agreed not to proceed with a second tranche of retaliatory import duties on United States imports on 1st of June as originally planned in order to leave room for further negotiations with the United States. The duty enactment could be deferred for up to six months.
There are timid signs of a gradual Washington ‘awakening’ to trade files that the European Union would want to settle with Washington to move on on trade.
The countdown for a second round of European retaliatory tariffs in response to United Sates tariffs on steel and aluminium from the European Union and the ex-EU member United Kingdom is now clearly on.
The European Union is considering extending its safeguard measures on steel imports beyond the three years mandated by its regulation. The European Commission said it was acting following “a duly substantiated request received from twelve EU member states” – and is now consulting stakeholders. The safeguards were introduced in July …
This has been overall quiet and very cold week on the Brussels trade beat. Trade negotiators appear to have taken a bit of a breather after their Christmas break was upended due to historic trade and investment agreements with the United Kingdom and China being concluded at the very last …
This week’s Week in Brussels column focuses on EU trade defence.
Protecting the steel industry, what to do with the EU Mercosur trade pact and finding common ground in the WTO director-general selection process were among the main topics discussed by trade ministers in Berlin today at an informal meeting hosted by the German presidency of the Council.
Turkey has decided to litigate. Earlier this year, Ankara requested consultations with the European Union as Brussels revised for the second time a contentious safeguard on steel imports introduced initially in 2018. The measures were taken in response to the United States’ decision back then to restrict imports of steel …
