Russia and the United States rarely agree on anything in global politics. But Washington was the only World Trade Organization member that supported Moscow in a highly-politicised legal argument at the organisation’s dispute settlement body that many see as entailing systemic ramifications for the multilateral trading system.
Tag: ukraine
Dutch Ukraine referendum: EU ability to sign international treaties at stake
The Dutch no vote in a referendum over the EU’s Association Agreement with Ukraine held on 6 April 2016 will not likely jeopardise the agreement itself. But it puts the EU’s credibility in the neighbourhood at risk, most likely kills off enlargement policy, and questions the EU’s ability to sign …
Russia likely to curb Ukraine imports over EU pact
Details here.
Ukraine: prepared for the trade agreement with the EU?
It looks like Ukraine will start implementing the trade agreement it signed with the EU on 1 January 2016. Kyiv appears willing to take the risk of Russian trade retaliation in response to the move as Moscow has voiced misgivings about the agreement. By Iana Dreyer. An updated version of this article appeared on …
No breakthrough in trilateral negotiations on Ukraine DCFTA
The EU trade commissioner, Russia’s economy minister, and Ukraine’s foreign minister met in Brussels to discuss Ukraine’s implementation of its deep and comprehensive free trade deal with the European Union. The meeting was part of an ongoing negotiating process to allay Russian concerns about potential trade losses. It did not yield concrete …
In brief: Riga Summit – fading hopes of European destiny for Eastern partners
The Riga Eastern Partnership summit to be held on May 21 and 22 is set to dampen hopes of deeper ties of the EU’s most fervently europhile Eastern Partners. We’ve seen the draft conclusions of the event. Extensive details with BNE Intellinews, selected take-aways below.
Comment: Labour mobility – EU neighbourhood policy’s new approach wrong-footed
Ahead of important EU meetings this week, namely the Riga Summit with Eastern partners and a new round of trade talks with Morocco, here a long-read on why one of the cornerstones of the EU’s neighbourhood policy overhaul – to limit migration – is flawed economically, politically, and morally. The text explains why the EU must be much …
ENP overhaul: are DCFTAs still a good idea? Michael Leigh shares his views
The crisis in Ukraine and the instability and violence in the Middle East and North Africa have triggered a re-think of the European Neighbourhood Policy. Sir Michael Leigh, a former Director General for enlargement at the EU Commission, now a senior adviser to the German Marshall Fund, shared his views …
Latvian foreign minister calls for visa liberalisation and support for Belarus WTO accession as EU reassesses neighbourhood policy
[sh_light_text ]Latvia’s foreign minister Edgars Rinkēvičs , who was in Brussels on Monday, called for a clear commitment to support Europe’s eastern neighbours in the coming months as the Baltic state prepares to take over the EU’s member state council presidency. He stressed in particular the need to start talking about visa …
EU not yet ready to talk to Eurasian Economic Union as WTO cases mount
[sh_light_text ]Angela Merkel, Germany’s Chancellor, recently talked favourably of the idea of launching free trade talks with the Eurasian economic union (EEU). The EEU is due to come into force in January and deepen economic ties between Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia, the project’s main champion. But there are no signs Brussels is moving …
