News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
It was widely expected. The European Commission’s Phil Hogan will not throw himself in the race to become the next World Trade Organization director-general after all. Hogan did not find enough support among member states for his leadership bid – and soundings with other partners, including the United States – …
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 …
COVID-19 trade collapse “could have been worse” says WTO’s Azevêdo The WTO released fresh data on global trade flows during the pandemic. Initial estimates for the second quarter, when the virus and associated lockdown measures affected a large share of the global population, indicate a year‑on‑year drop of around 18.5%,” …
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, …
The countdown is on. The kick-off of a nomination process to a successor to Roberto Azevêdo, who resigned as World Trade Organization director-general, will begin in two weeks – on 8 July. Member countries need to put forward their candidates before then. So where are we in the process? As …
For those interested in the issue of whether invoking national security lets WTO members get away with not complying with the multilateral trade rule-book, the institution’s second panel report on this issue released today in Geneva might give you some guidance: national security is not a free-for-all. A first report …
The European Union tabled a “concept paper” on health to a group of like-minded World Trade Organization members called the Ottawa Group. The EU aims to avoid medical supply shortages as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic in similar situations in future. But it didn’t get the traction it had hoped …
Australia’s plain packaging rules okayed by Appellate Body A brief note on the fact that the Appellate Body, as expected, upheld a panel ruling that confirmed Australia’s right to impose plain packaging – i.e. remove branding – on cigarette packs. This week’s ruling will have systemic implications also for food …
It’s leadership succession time in Geneva trade policy institutions. An ongoing race to the International Trade Centre’s top post is becoming embroiled in a broader fight among world regions, countries and the concerned institutions themselves about who gets the next top organisation and agency jobs.
European Union trade ministers approached the issue of who they will support as the next World Trade Organization’s director-general with great prudence. The second ‘FAC Trade’ of the year held online today was an opportunity for EU capitals and the Commission to touch base on the bundle of recent WTO issues …
