News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Friday, April 25, 2025
The European Commission has expressed concern over the United States’ Department of Commerce decision to restrict exports of advanced artificial intelligence technology and related semiconductors. A concrete response from Brussels will need to wait, if it materialises at all.
In her mission letter to Maroš Šefčovič, the man she nominated to become the next commissioner for international trade, Ursula von der Leyen asked him to draw up a European Union ‘economic security doctrine’. It’s still early days to know exactly how this doctrine will look like, but first clues …
One can say we find ourselves in a “phony trade war”. While everyone waits for the action to start on the transatlantic trade beat since Donald Trump won the race to the White House for a second time last week, here’s some impressions I’ve been gathering of what people think …
The European Commission released its annual report on foreign direct investment into the EU. It also used the opportunity to release new information on developments in the FDI screening area. FDI into the EU has been on a downward path in 2023, partly reflecting global trends, but probably also reflecting …
Better late than never, some might think. The European Commission released long-promised guidelines to stakeholders and governments on how to apply provisions on cyber-surveillance products introduced into its dual use export controls Regulation, three years after the latter’s coming into force.
‘Reshoring’, ‘friendshoring’ , ‘de-risking’, ‘nearshoring’, however you call it, is now becoming a measurable reality on the ground.
Stakeholders in international trade policy in Europe interested in an open economy need to face up to a few harsh truths. The first truth is that there will be no pro-active, free-market, let alone an effective trade policy in the coming months, if not years. Trade policy will remain reactive, …
Ursula von der Leyen is expected to be confirmed for a second term as president of the European Commission by the European Parliament today on the basis of a working programme for the years 2024-2029 that emphasizes security issues.
Policies to improve the European Union’s economic security, avoiding critical mineral dependencies and reforming the United States Trade Representative all feature in the think tank universe this week.
The European Commission has released a long-anticipated package aiming at enhancing what it terms its “economic security”.
