Trade & Society
EU, UK win fossil fuel ‘carve-out’ in Energy Charter Treaty deal
Investments in new fossil fuel projects will no longer enjoy legal protection on EU and UK territory under a deal reached on Friday (24 June) to reform the 1994 Energy Charter Treaty.
EU to strengthen sustainability enforcement in trade deals
Sustainability concerns should receive increased attention in trade deals and, if necessary, also be enforced through sanctions, according to a new approach presented by the EU Commission on Wednesday (22 June).
Ukraine’s grain ‘OPEC’ – What is it and is it worth the price?
Ukraine is reviving Russia’s pipe dream of setting up an organization of gran exporting countries - but with Western partners. However, experts warn of potential negative consequences of a grain 'OPEC' with more clarification on its functioning needed.
WTO strikes global trade deals after ‘roller coaster’ talks
The World Trade Organization agreed on the first change to global trading rules in years 17 June as well as a deal to boost the supply of COVID-19 vaccines in a series of pledges that were heavy on compromise.
WTO reaches initial deal as India’s defiance tempered
Major members of the World Trade Organization reached an initial deal on 16 June, winning over India which said it was confident more global accords could be achieved as negotiations on fishing, vaccines and food security entered their final hours.
WTO goes green as climate change impacts trade
The World Trade Organisation's boss insisted Monday (13 June) that turning trade green was now urgent business, with the WTO putting climate change at the heart of its negotiations.
EU and India to start trade negotiations, with 2024 target
After more than eight years of stalled negotiations on a comprehensive EU-India trade agreement, the two are set to formally restart talks from mid-June, with the aim to strike an agreement before both head to the polls in 2024.
Burned by Russia, Germany seeks to lessen dependence on China
Germany's dependence on Chinese raw materials is increasingly attracting the government's attention as it continues, together with the EU, to work at full speed on freeing itself from Russian economic dependence. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Supply Chains: From ‘just in time’ to ‘just in case’
The pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have sent shockwaves through global supply chains, leading companies and policymakers to rethink their priorities, from efficiency to resilience.
Bringing a gun to trade negotiations
The chair of the European Parliament's trade committee Bernd Lange argues that the EU needs more defensive instruments to safeguard its trade interests in an environment where multilateral trade rules are not respected.
German cities prove resilient despite multiple challenges following the pandemic
While German cities are increasingly struggling to retain their diversity following the COVID-19 pandemic and the accelerated shift to online that comes with it, they have proven to be more resilient than previously expected.
UK confirms plan not to introduce checks on EU goods until 2024
The UK government has decided not to impose customs checks on EU imports until the end of 2023, in a major policy U-turn announced on Thursday (28 April).
EU Commission wants to scrap import tariffs for Ukraine
The European Commission proposed on Wednesday (27 April) scrapping for one year all EU tariffs and quotas on products imported from Ukraine, in a bid to support the Ukrainian economy that is suffering heavy losses due to the ongoing Russian invasion.
Mayor: Culture and technology will shape Malaga’s future post-COVID
Strengthening the cultural elements and a focus on innovation-driven projects are the driving forces for Malaga’s future after the pandemic, Mayor Francisco de la Torre told EFE in an interview.
Ukraine war spells ‘end of globalisation as we know it’, says EU’s Gentiloni
The war in Ukraine has shown the limitations of the decades-long German approach of seeking to change Russia through trade and spells the end of globalisation as we know it, the European Economic Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni said on Thursday (21 April).
EU leaders to press China on stance towards Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
EU leaders will press their Chinese counterparts on Beijing's position and potential role amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine in a virtual meeting on Friday (1 April), marking the first EU-China summit since June 2020.
French presidential election: consensus among candidates on European tech protectionism
"Buy European Act" or not, the presidential candidates agree on the need to direct more public procurement towards European digital actors in order to be able, one day maybe, to fight on equal terms against the American or Chinese giants.
Ties with Europe are America’s geo-economic base
US President Joe Biden travelled to Europe this week amid signs that the transatlantic economy is proving remarkably resilient to disruptions generated by Putin’s war on Ukraine, the pandemic, congested supply chains, and energy price spikes, writes Dan Hamilton.
Is transatlantic trade back on the table?
As the Russian invasion is forcing the EU to cut many of the economic ties it still has with Russia, the US under president Biden are presenting themselves as the obvious partner for the future.
With China in mind, EU agrees on rules to force open tenders
Negotiators from the European Parliament and member state governments agreed on Monday (14 March) on new rules to limit access to the two trillion euros worth of European public tenders in a move designed to pressure countries such as China to open up their markets.
‘Lithuania mania’ sweeps Taiwan as China spat sizzles
The tiny handful of Lithuanians living in Taiwan is suddenly in vogue among the island's residents after their small Baltic nation did something Taipei has long staked its identity on: stand up to China.
UK faces hefty EU fine over Chinese import fraud
The UK faces a hefty fine for underreporting customs duties applied to Chinese footwear imports when it was still in the EU, according to a judgement on Tuesday by the European Court of Justice.
Britain and Europe must engage with key emerging markets
The Russian invasion of the Ukraine will destabilise world trade just recovering from the pandemic. That means that the EU and UK should pursue new economic partnerships, argues Geoffrey Van Orden.