This week promises to be busy, with the European Parliament’s trade committee debating a range of issues including EU ties with the US and Latin America, the launch of trade negotiations with Australia and New Zealand, and the start of the bloc’s tariffs against US goods to strike back at …
Defensive trade policy
Steel and aluminium: Switzerland caught between US tariffs and EU safeguards
Switzerland is caught between a rock and hard place as the trade frictions between the European Union and the United States intensify. The Swiss are also seeking an exemption from planned EU safeguard measures on the metals. Switzerland is a small, open trading nation at the heart of Europe …
Week ahead in EU trade: INTA, FDI, steel duties, safeguards, dumping, OECD, WTO
European lawmakers are in for a busy week, with key debates and plenary votes planned on key issues including looming US tariffs on steel and aluminium and how to protect the bloc from dumped or subsidised imports from non-EU trade partners. INTA to vote on investment screening draft …
Beyond Brussels: US trade measures, WTO member reactions – where we stand
A lot can happen in just a week – and when it comes to trade, most of what’s happening these days involves the US. This week was no exception, as India complained about American duties on steel and aluminium, and the Trump administration initiated a national security probe into automobile …
Week ahead in EU trade: FAC trade, China BIT, Brexit, Japan
China and the EU will resume talks on a bilateral investment treaty this week – but don’t count on much news from the discussions. The main stories are likely to come instead from tomorrow’s Foreign Affairs Council meeting, as ministers debate and decide on a range of trade-related issues including …
Beyond Brussels: Japan threat to retaliate over US metals duties – more bark than bite?
Japan may follow China by striking back against US steel and aluminium tariffs to the tune of $409 million, signalling that Tokyo is tired of trying to win an exemption from the levies through diplomacy. But the fact that Japan is weighing retaliation doesn’t mean it will actually act on …
EU’s lapsed duties on Pakistani PET are illegal, WTO Appellate Body says
European antisubsidy duties on a Pakistani plastics ingredient that expired three years ago breach global trade rules, the World Trade Organization’s Appellate Body said today, upholding a previous ruling. The fact that the tariffs have lapsed means no action is required by either Islamabad or Brussels. But appeals judges’ …
Week ahead in EU trade: INTA, Brexit, investment screening
Two events will happen in Brussels this week that merit close attention: the European Parliament’s international trade committee will discuss a range of headline-worthy issues during its two-day meeting and the Working Party on Trade Questions will discuss investment screening. The churn on Article 50 negotiations between the EU27 and …
Beyond Brussels: WTO tensions deepen over intellectual property, steel, Appellate Body
The World Trade Organization’s General Council meeting on Wednesday highlighted the deepening rift between the US and other members over steel, intellectual property and Appellate Body nominations. There seems to be no way out of the crisis for now.
Beyond Brussels: Oversupply of Chinese goods doesn’t hurt global trade, study finds
China may use subsidies to prop up a range of domestic industries, but oversupply in these sectors has little impact on global trade, a Swiss-based trade watchdog says in a new report on the current steel glut and protectionism.