News and analysis on trade policy in Europe
Friday, April 25, 2025
The European Union’s heads of government significantly amended their conclusions on trade policy in the night from Thursday to Friday, offering more detailed guidance on what they want in terms of World Trade Organization reforms – a goal the EU formally set itself this spring. The Council officially remains silent …
European Commission vice president Jyrki Katainen prepared the groundwork for an EU-China summit in mid-July during today’s high-level economic and trade dialogue meeting in Beijing. The dialogue, initially set up in 2008, has never been much more than a talking shop. But it looks like this time could be different. …
The year-long stalemate over the process to appoint Appellate Body members is debilitating the World Trade Organization’s top court and may eventually lead to a paralysis that would have “profound implications” on panel proceedings as well, says Appellate Body Chairman Ujal Singh Bhatia.
A top European Commission trade official painted a bleak picture of transatlantic relations to a European Parliament committee today, saying US import duties on steel and aluminium as well as possible tariffs on foreign cars and car parts are “clearly detrimental” and potentially catastrophic for world trade. The outlook …
So far, six World Trade Organization members have lodged complaints challenging President Donald Trump’s assertion that tariffs on steel and aluminium are needed to protect US national security. They are broadly similar, but hardly identical, and some of the differences are quite noteworthy. More members have ganged together in …
After the disastrous Group of Seven summit in Canada, the EU will need to find ways to keep calm, focus on saving the WTO’s dispute settlement system and address some of the root causes of its disputes with the US – not least Germany’s current account surplus, argues Iana Dreyer.
The EU reacted immediately to the Trump administration’s decision to apply tariffs of 25% and 10% on European steel and aluminium today. The bloc filed a trade complaint against the decision and is initiating a process that will lead to ‘rebalancing’ measures announced several weeks ago. In the meantime, trouble …
The EU is set to act on pledges it has made over the last few weeks ahead of the imposition of US tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminium adopted on national security grounds. “Now that we have clarity, the EU’s response will be proportionate and in …
The EU, the US and Japan agreed a joint action plan aimed at inducing China to cut back its industrial subsidies and to relinquish its restrictive investment and intellectual property policies.
It’s time for the World Trade Organization to be modernised and strengthened, says WTO chief Roberto Azevêdo, backing calls by French President Emmanuel Macron for an overhaul of global trade rules. Macron told leaders at the annual Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development forum yesterday that the world’s biggest …
