A World Trade Organization case against the United States’ Section 232 steel and aluminium tariffs is bound to rock the global trading system, writes Jennifer Freedman. Despite President Donald Trump’s claim that US duties on foreign steel and aluminium would safeguard American jobs and revive domestic industry, there is …
World Trade Organization
Section 232: EU Commission to reconsider cooperation with US on China
There is a sense of disillusionment in the upper echelons of the European Commission at the announcement that the president of the United States is planning to slap an all-round tariff on steel and aluminium imports that would affect more than 6 billion euros worth of European exports. Among …
Beyond Brussels: From steel to Thailand including NAFTA and Vietnam
This has been a week overloaded with trade developments. There is lots of news – and speculation – floating around in the run-up to next week’s planning signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The big news from yesterday – US duties on foreign steel and aluminium – has sparked an angry reaction …
EU’s Section 232 response: WTO-legal options are narrow
The EU’s top leadership reacted promptly to announcements in the US media that President Donald Trump will go ahead with slapping punitive import tariffs on steel. Trade retaliation of some form is expected from Brussels. The EU promises World Trade Organization-compatible moves. But here, the options are relatively limited, lawyers …
In brief: EU readies responses for US Section 232 tariffs and Appellate Body crisis
The central topic on the minds of trade ministers during their informal meeting in snowy Sofia on Tuesday was the United States’s trade policies. The EU is readying a differentiated response to any possible import duties US President Donald Trump could apply to European steel and aluminium. In February, …
Week ahead in EU trade: Foreign affairs council, EU-ASEAN, Article 50, WTO
EU trade ministers are meeting in Bulgaria. The EU-ASEAN Business Summit and ASEAN Economic Ministers’ meeting will focus on trade and investment ties between the two regions. More details below: Foreign Affairs Council Trade EU trade ministers will have two main issues in mind at a meeting that …
Comment: Lamy’s ‘lonesome cowboy’ scenario won’t resolve Appellate Body impasse
Slow is often the norm at institutions such as the World Trade Organization, but efforts to fill vacant seats on the WTO’s Appellate Body really haven’t made a bit of progress. The reason for the standstill, as trade aficionados well know, is Washington’s refusal to support starting the process to …
A week in Brussels – Taking on China – South America – ASEAN – Trade Valentines
With many people out of town skiing it’s been comparatively quiet in Brussels town itself. A lot happened actually outside of Brussels. Trade pros even got time to write #TradeValentines poems. EU and US join Japan in plans to take China to WTO over tech protectionism A new …
WTO: EU wants US to explain ‘safeguard’ on solar imports
The US must explain its decision to slap steep ‘safeguard’ tariffs on foreign solar cells and panels, says the EU, noting that Germany is a major exporter of the goods. In a communication to the World Trade Organization dated yesterday, the EU said that, “having a substantial interest as …
China MES case may ride on negotiating history of WTO accession protocol
The negotiating history of China’s World Trade Organization accession protocol could play a central role in the outcome of Beijing’s WTO complaint about EU dumping methodologies, according to a new study that pinpoints weaknesses in the US and European interpretation of the controversial Article 15. Weihuan Zhou and Delei …