News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Friday, April 25, 2025
European negotiators involved in the ongoing talks on e-commerce among a subset of World Trade Organization members made relatively upbeat comments about the state of negotiations that hope to set rules for the global digital economy in the 21st Century. Speaking to MEPs on Wednesday in Brussels, Phil Hogan said: …
The European Commission’s director general for trade Sabine Weyand was quoted in Bloomberg today on the EU’s trade relations with the United States as thus: “If you deal with partners who link up trade policy with security and with industrial policy, et cetera, well, you have to up your game …
E-commerce negotiators gear up for intense first half of 2020 After a stock-taking meeting in Geneva early this week, negotiators involved in the plurilateral negotiations on e-commerce decided there would be a ministerial meeting on the talks in January 2020 at the annual global elite meeting in Davos. The Davos …
“Do you think that because people are dealing now with the digital economy, with e-commerce, that tomorrow you will have an agreement? Think again. We’re in for the long term on these things,” said the World Trade Organization’s Director General Roberto Azevêdo during a panel discussion at his organisation’s annual …
Yes, we all know, this was transatlantic week and Airbus week. It was also Phil Hogan week. It was also international trade committee week – with MEPs discussing the US-EU beef quota and the ongoing EU-Australia negotiations. Below other interesting news. Parliament gears up for EU Vietnam FTA and IPA ratification …
This will be a week where the European Union will test its ability to decide on its fundamental policy direction and on international trade.
Plurilateral e-commerce negotiations in the WTO are clearly on track, with rounds taking place every month. The talks, which were kick-started in March, are still their infancy, although they are progressing rapidly.
The main EU trade policy items to watch out for this week are: e-commerce, Indonesian FTA, Vietnam FTA and IPA.
Diplomats of more than 75 countries met in Geneva this week to formally start negotiations to set rules for trade in the 21st century in the World Trade Organization. The aim is to achieve a so-called ‘plurilateral’ agreement among a subset of organisation members which others could join later.
We are looking at a packed week in EU trade. There will be two important negotiations rounds and a few critical meetings in Brussels.
