News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Thursday, May 8, 2025
The European Parliament adopted a resolution on European Union – United States relations that takes a conciliatory tone towards Washington, despite the recent deterioration of bilateral political, security and trade relations. MEPs called on the US to scrap its aluminium and steel tariffs on the EU and to work with …
The European Parliament adopted a new resolution on EU-China relations. China is a divisive topic in the European Union. Yet the report, adopted in a comparatively smooth process with a strong majority of 530 MEPs, can be said to reflect a consensus view of the bloc’s political establishment on the …
With the current surge in anti-system parties with protectionist rhetoric, trade policy professionals might be forgiven for thinking that the next European Parliament could turn more hostile to trade liberalisation and trade agreements than the one whose legislature will end early next year. VoteWatch.EU, a think tank specialising in data-driven …
Robert Lighthizer and Cecilia Malmström qualified their first formal meeting following the July Trump-Juncker trade truce as “constructive”. The two sides are trying to firm up the contours of a trade ‘deal’ to counter a potential descent into tit-for-tat tariff escalation after the United States imposed duties on steel and aluminium …
It’s been an intense week on transatlantic trade and Brexit trade front. Below, other interesting bits of news in EU trade. EU-Mercosur focus A lot of noise, little extra substance on EU-Mercosur free trade talks this week. Next week, European negotiators will fly to South America for a 36th round …
Welcome to the jungle. The title of a 1990s song by US rock group Guns ‘n’ Roses seems apt in the world that EU trade policy is facing this autumn. It is a world at risk of descending into lawlessness, where guns start to prevail over roses in the international …
This week was largely dominated by the European Parliament’s work on trade, the transatlantic trade rift and the deepening crisis of the WTO’s Appellate Body. This is what we wrote about this week: The WTO Appellate Body crisis here and here Southern Africa and UK trade post Brexit State of …
After Cecilia Malmström briefed MEPs on the July meeting between US President Donald Trump and the European Commission’s chief, Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Parliament made clear that it wanted a say in the negotiation process that is now unfolding. The two sides are setting up an ‘executive working group’ that …
In Europe, the tendency is to bundle together or even mix up Australia and New Zealand, the two neighbouring Oceanian countries. In trade, the two sometimes add to the confusion by at times signing free trade agreements with third countries together, such as in 2009 with their neighbour ASEAN. The …
The European Parliament’s international trade committee is examining a new regulation tabled by the European Commission aimed at streamlining the way safeguards are negotiated with current bilateral free trade agreement partners. The legislation would apply to the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, to the EU-Singapore FTA and to the EU-Vietnam FTA. …
