EU trade policies
Opinion: Why services negotiations should become a priority in TTIP
The contribution of the services sector to value creation, jobs, the digital economy and SME development has long been underestimated, so has the importance of reducing barriers to international competition – in other words ‘trade’ – in the services sector. It is time to make services trade liberalisation a priority …
EU privacy rule overhaul and Safe Harbour talks hold back EU in TISA
Unfinished business in updating a bilateral agreement on data protection with the United States – Safe Harbour – and delays in finalising an overhaul of the EU’s data protection laws initiated three years ago have been holding back Brussels from tabling proposals on e-commerce and data flows in TiSA negotiations. By Iana Dreyer …
Blog: International investment arbitration – Intra-EU, Energy Charter cases, investors rebutted three quarters of time
The EU Parliament has descended into acrimony over investment arbitration by postponing a vote and a debate on TTIP yesterday. While we leave the politicians to their squabbles, let’s have a fresh look at the reality of investment arbitration cases. Recent data provided by the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes, …
In brief: TTIP resolution vote in EU Parliament postponed in face of S&D group divisions
Updated. On Wednesday 10 June the EU Parliament was due to vote on its first resolution on the current transatlantic trade and investment (TTIP) talks. But the move was postponed on the afternoon of 9 June in an exceptional move ordered by the president of the legislative assembly.
Comment: EU Mercosur trade talks – (plus) ça change?
ISDS: Paris proposals for a permanent international investment arbitration court
This week Paris sent a seventeen page document to the EU Commission in which it outlines its ideas for reforming investor-to-state arbitration in future EU trade and investment agreements. The proposals add some flesh to the general – and vague – idea brought forward by the EU Commission last month for a permanent investment court. …
‘Environmental goods’ trade talks: EU settles for limited ambition for December deadline
EU Commissioner Cecilia Malmström outlined the EU’s current approach to the ‘environmental goods agreement’ under negotiation among seventeen World Trade Organization members. Realism in what can be achieved by an initial December deadline for concluding talks has set in, as Brussels aims for a two-step approach and a “living agreement” that can be updated over …
Comment: EU Japan – two reasons why it’s so difficult
Whether the EU Japan summit on 28 and 29 May will genuinely boost to faltering free trade talks remains uncertain, as the transpacific partnership trade negotiations with Washington Tokyo is involved in will take precedence. By Iana Dreyer.
Blog – Study: Immigration boosts services sector exports
A country needs immigrants to be a competitive services exporter, a new economic study reveals.
