The Commission has tabled a final regulatory proposal to update its current so-called ‘dual-use’ export legislation. The rules aim to avoid that high tech industrial products are exported to governments or sold to organisations that could misuse the products to produce weapons of mass destruction, commit terrorist acts, or engage in human rights violations. The …
EU trade policies
EU gearing up digital in trade deals – despite domestic privacy wranglings
Commissioner Malmström is gearing up in her drive to “digitalise” the EU’s trade policy despite many uncertainties hanging over the data privacy dimension of unleashing digital in global markets. Elements of what ambitions the EU pursing on digital matters in its trade negotiations are gradually emerging. At this week’s Public Forum held at the …
EU-Russia WTO cases: where we stand
Parliament readies to okay Ecuador accession to FTA with Colombia and Peru
The trade committee of the European Parliament is getting ready to greenlight Ecuador’s accession to a 2012 free trade agreement in force between the EU on the one hand and Colombia and Peru on the other. Ecuador’s accession process to the deal, initiated in 2014, dragged on as further negotiations with Peru and …
Netherlands and Ukraine Association Agreement – What to expect next?
Prime Minister Mark Rutte told the Dutch parliament’s lower house that he didn’t think it very likely that the Netherlands would ratify the EU Ukraine Association agreement. So, is this the end of the deal? Not quite yet: negotiations with the EU and Ukraine have only recently begun. Should the Dutch follow through …
Next steps after Bratislava trade ministers meeting
European Parliament prepares to ease imports of Uzbek cotton and textiles
The European Parliament is moving to endorse a 2011 EU Uzbekistan textiles agreement it had previously rejected. Uzbekistan came under fire for engaging in child labour and forced labour in its cotton and fabrics industry. But reported progress on that front and an EU desire to deepen its footprint in Central Asia have contributed …
French business says stopping TTIP talks would be “an act of extreme gravity”
Twelve French business federations have called for continuation of TTIP negotiations ahead of a crucial trade ministers meeting held in Bratislava, Slovakia, today. The move comes in reaction to declarations by French secretary of state in charge of trade, Matthias Fekl, that he would request a halt to the negotiations, and for a …
Bratislava trade meeting: no major decision expected on dumping and China MES
The key priority of trade ministers gathering at Bratislava on Friday (23 September) will be to garner sufficient support from member states to authorise the signature of CETA next month at a bilateral EU-Canada summit.
Top EU farm group calls for conclusion of CETA, TTIP, EU Japan FTA
The EU’s biggest farm group Copa Cogeca is getting nervous about the prospects of key proposed EU trade agreements: CETA, TTIP and the EU-Japan FTA. “We need to find more new export outlets so that we are not totally dependent on the Chinese market”, Martin Merrild, the president of Copa …
