The seventeen participants to the Environmental Goods Agreement talks launched in 2014 are gathering for a fresh round in Geneva this week. The aim is to prepare the ground for a G20 meeting hosted by China in Hangzhou by which parties no longer hope to conclude the talks, but expect to …
World Trade Organization
Jordan garment exporters to benefit from more flexible EU rules of origin
To help Jordan cope with a massive influx of refugees from Syria by integrating them in the local labour market and hiring them in dedicated special industrial zones, the EU will ease the conditions under which Jordan may export goods duty-free to the EU. The move was made official during …
In brief: EU launches new case against China raw material export restrictions
Brussels is following Washington on this one. Today, the EU notified the WTO Secretariat of a request for consultations with China over duties and other measures concerning the exportation of certain raw materials. This request follows on a similar one filed by Washington last week (13 July 2016). The move follows …
TiSA,TTIP: EU and US battle over “new services”
USTR is stepping up its offensive moves to get the interests of its competitive digital industry heard in international trade talks. The EU has already been feeling the heat in TiSA and TTIP as transatlantic negotiations move from Geneva to Brussels this week. New services are among the key issues …
TiSA: Services Coalition calls for progress in e-commerce, telecommunications
Services groups see insufficient progress in e-commerce, telecommunications, finance, delivery services and movement of professionals in TiSA as parties aim towards endgame in 2016. ID.
Commission letter to Parliament on TiSA rebuffs MEP demands on ratchet clauses, labour rights, outlines priorities
This week the 23 parties to the Trade in Services Agreement negotiations are holding a lengthy round of talks with the aim to come close to an endgame later this year. A fresh exchange of market access offers is scheduled for October this year. In this context, Borderlex has been …
TiSA: MEPs on collision course with Commission
Trade Commissioner Malmström today said that the plurilateral trade negotiations on services could be finalised by end 2016. A new 12-day round of talks will start next week with the aim to approach the endgame phase. The EU’s latest market access offer tabled in late May was perceived as disappointing …
In brief: ITA-2 to come into force in EU – EU current account surplus
The Council gave its green light to the uptated WTO Information Technology Agreement. The deal will thus be applied as of 1 July 2016. Eurostat released its latest current account data for the EU28: the export powerhouse is rolling full steam ahead. “The 12-month cumulated current account for the …
TTIP: rules of origin – EU textiles worry about potential changes to “list rules”
One of the most complex issues to resolve in the TTIP negotiations is what type of rules to apply for products to qualify for duty-free treatment – the so-called rules or origin (ROOs) – under the deal. EU and US free trade agreements use quite different ROO systems in their …
Lange wants transparency in WTO negotiations
INTA Committee chair Bernd Lange is pushing for more ambition at the WTO, more transparency in negotiations, and the inclusion of new topics like gender and trade. “I had the pleasure to lead a delegation of 10 Members to the Ministerial Conference in Nairobi” Lange said in Geneva early this …
