In a conversation with Borderlex’s Iana Dreyer, MEP Marie-Pierre Vedrenne explains her thinking behind her widely-endorsed report that could turn the EU’s trade retaliatory ‘bazooka’ into something even bigger.
EU trade policies
MEPs vote for more retaliation powers as trade tensions with US mount
Trade is now a matter for the boxing ring. This is at least the message the press received from an emailed statement of the centre-right European People’s Party office on Monday ahead of a vote on European Union plans to strengthen its legal powers to ‘retaliate’ in the face of …
Week in Brussels: Hogan on US, France and CETA, Cambodia, CTEO
It’s been one of those relatively low-key weeks on trade in Brussels – which only prepare the ground for more intense meetings and developments later on. Hogan back in action To start with: Phil Hogan is back! After a ‘purdah’ period imposed on him by his bosses while he was …
Second revision of EU steel safeguard leaves much unclear on modalities
“We will continue to use our trade defence instruments in a robust fashion to ensure that our economic recovery takes place in a level playing field,” said Sabine Weyand in a recent meeting with MEPs last week. Discussing the revised EU steel safeguard, which is coming into force tomorrow, Weyand …
German presidency and trade: strong emphasis on sovereignty issues and bilateral trade agenda
The German government officially released its fifteen-page work programme for the coming six months as it prepares to take over the rotating European Union presidency. To say the least Germany’s presidency comes at a very critical time for the EU. Berlin’s text largely aligns with the EU’s general direction of …
Week in Brussels: Raw materials, anti-subsidy actions, CETA financial services
With new fire added to the brewing tensions in EU-US trade relations as new tariffs on the EU were announced in Washington, the EU mulling new retaliatory measures against US trade ‘coercion”, and Brussels infighting over the issue of who – if at all – it will put forward as …
Commission mulls new measures to respond to Section 301-style unilateral trade actions
The European Commission clearly fears the European Parliament could sabotage its attempt at getting an amended so-called ‘enforcement regulation’ up and running quickly. The EU wants to upgrade its legal arsenal to be able to respond to situations where a country blocks legal proceedings in the World Trade Organization’s Appellate …
Comment: USTR eyes Airbus-related escalation of tariffs, helicopter tariffs
The United States are currently threatening new tariffs on neighbours and allies left, right, front and centre. It’s clearly election campaign season for an embattled US president Donald Trump. Signs are European Union efforts to find some form of ‘settlement’ with the US on aircraft subsidies have been in vain, …
In brief: EU tries to put itself on Chinese radar screen at post-COVID-19 summit
There was no joint statement of any sort after Xi Jinping, Li Kequiang, Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen hosted a lengthy online summit today. Instead, we were issued a statement from the European Union leaders on what the bloc wants to see from China over the next months. …
Week in Brussels: digital tax wars, new strategy, SME exports, anti-subsidy
It’s been quite a week in terms of trade news, with the launch of an EU healthcare initiative with the WTO’s Ottawa Group meeting and new plans to control foreign subsidies of companies operating in Europe. Below some other notable news. UK talks: European Parliament talks tough on LPF and …
