About: Karel De Gucht

Trade & Society 25-01-2017

Lamy: ‘Trumponomics’ won’t contaminate Europe

Est. 5min

Former World Trade Organisation chief and EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy has denounced Donald Trump's protectionist trade policy for being outdated, telling a EURACTIV event he isn't concerned that European politicians will follow the new US president's cue.

Public Affairs 03-11-2016

Former Barroso Commissioners still enjoying big paydays

Est. 4min

Former Commissioners are enjoying fat transitional allowances, even though they may already be working in the private sector or even if their time at the executive was only fleeting, according to German media. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Trade & Society 31-10-2014

EU, US say hard to imagine trade deal without investor protection

Est. 2min

A trade deal between the United States and Europe is hard to imagine without strong investor protection, US Trade Representative Michael Froman said on Thursday (30 October), hours after outgoing Commissioner Karel De Gucht said the US may break off talks unless Europeans show a firmer willingness to include investment-protection provisions in any deal.

Trade & Society 17-10-2014

EU, Singapore conclude investment protection talks

Est. 3min

The European Union has concluded talks on a free trade deal with Singapore by adding investor protection clauses, which critics like Germany say give multinationals too much power.

Trade & Society 09-10-2014

TTIP negotiating mandate finally declassified

Est. 3min

The Council of the European Union Thursday (9 October) finally published the secret negotiating mandate for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the US.

Karel De Gucht at the EMI TTIP Summit .Brussels, October 2014.
Global Europe 07-10-2014

De Gucht’s TTIP Legacy

Est. 4min

At the end of the mandate of the Barroso II Commission, civil society organisations Europe-wide are asking what steps the Commissioner-designate for Trade, Cecilia Malmström, is going to take in order to manage the TTIP legacy of the outgoing Commissioner, De Gucht. How will she meet stakeholders’ expectations, lower destractors’ concerns, reconcile the stance with the European Parliament, and lead the negotiations to a satisfactory closure?, asks Jo Leinen MEP.

Brexit 19-09-2014

EU and NATO breathes sigh of relief after Scotland ‘No’ vote

Est. 6min

European Union and NATO officials expressed undisguised relief on Friday (19 September) at Scotland's clear vote against independence from Britain, but some fretted that the genie of separatism may be out of the bottle in Europe.

EU Institutions 16-09-2014

As EU, Ukraine ratify pact, doubts over the future of relations grow

Est. 4min

The European Parliament in Strasbourg and the Ukrainian Parliament in Kyiv simultaneously ratified today (16 September) the landmark EU-Ukraine Association Agreement (AA), but important concession made to Russia suggest the future of the relation is in doubt.

Trade & Society 09-09-2014

De Gucht rejects claims Commission misrepresented benefits of TTIP

Est. 5min

EXCLUSIVE: The European Commission has rejected claims it misrepresented the possible economic benefits of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).

Elections 03-09-2014

Juncker starts interviews with Commissioner candidates

Est. 2min

Commission President-elect Jean-Claude Juncker yesterday (2 September) met with the candidates for commissioners presented by the member states. Belgium, the only country that hasn’t yet submitted a candidacy, is expected to do so on 4 September.

Health 28-08-2014

TTIP will sacrifice food safety for faster trade, warn NGOs

Est. 5min

EXCLUSIVE/ The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) will irreversibly put EU consumers and animals at risk, the European Commission will be warned today (28 August).

Economy 20-08-2014

Commission ‘analyses’ Poland’s complaint over Russian food ban

Est. 2min

The European Commission responded cautiously, today, to a Polish request to lodge a formal complaint to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over a Russian ban on EU food products that has hit Poland particularly hard.

Karel De Gucht

Poland wants EU to complain to WTO over Russian embargo

Est. 2min

Poland has asked the European Commission to send a formal complaint to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over the Russian ban on imported EU food products that has hit Poland particularly hard, the Polish Economy Ministry said on Tuesday (19 August).

Marianne Thyssen, Belgian Christian-democrat MEP (EPP) [European Parliament]
EU Priorities 2020 30-07-2014

Belgian coalition talks stumble over commissioner choice

Est. 3min

The outgoing Belgian prime minister, Elio Di Rupo, has asked political parties engaged in government coalition talks to choose an EU commission nominee before Friday (1 August).

Trade & Society 24-07-2014

Commission swamped by 150,000 replies to TTIP consultation

Est. 4min

About 150,000 people have responded to the European Commission’s online consultation on the controversial investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) clause in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).

Karel De Gucht, the EU trade commissioner. [European Commission]
Trade & Society 18-07-2014

EU agrees on trade deal with Ecuador

Est. 2min

The European Union completed negotiations on Thursday (17 July) on a trade deal with the Ecuador that will eliminate tariffs for most of its exports to its top trading partner, the Andean nation's trade minister said.

Traditional Dutch cheese [Ali Eminov/Flickr]
Agrifood 17-07-2014

EU’s trade strategy on food favours the few at the expense of the many

Est. 5min

EU member states negotiating the EU-US free trade agreement, TTIP, are defending the interests of just some member states and a very small number of producers. Europe would be better off focusing on ways to improve commerce for all, writes Allen Johnson.

 VideoPromoted content
Technology 16-07-2014

New Parliament protests against EU-US trade talks

As EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht briefed the new Parliament on progress in a EU-US free trade deal, anti-TTIP MEPs held a protest in Strasbourg on Tuesday.

Sven-Olov Carlsson, President of IOGT International
Health 09-07-2014

DG Trade’s ties to the alcohol industry are cause for concern

Est. 6min

Instead of addressing the harm alcohol inflicts to public health, social fabric, economic productivity and even democracy abroad, EU Commissioner Karel De Gucht chooses to praise its trade benefits, writes Sven-Olov Carlsson.

Parlement belge [Ben2/ creative commons]
Elections 02-07-2014

Key EU portfolio slipping out of Belgium’s hands

Est. 3min

Delays in forming a government may come at a price for Belgium's EU Commission post in Brussels, according to the country's outgoing Prime Minister. EURACTIV France reports.

Developing countries face EU funding ban if they break intellectual property rules

Est. 5min

The European Commission will ban developing countries from EU programmes, or cut their funding, if they persistently break intellectual property rights rules, according to a trade strategy published yesterday (1 July).

Elections 01-07-2014

Four of the seven Commissioners elected take MEP seats

Est. 4min

Seven of the present EU Commissioners stood for European elections and all were elected. Commission President José Manuel Barroso announced today (1 July) that four of them will take their MEP seats, and informed of the temporary re-allocation of their portfolios, pending decisions of their replacements.

Trade & Society 30-06-2014

EU takes Russia to WTO over pork embargo

Est. 3min

The European Union is taking Russia to the dispute settlement body of the World Trade Organisation, in order to overturn a ban on pork exports from the bloc, escalating a trade row that has been aggravated by the crisis in Ukraine.

EU Commissioner for Trade Karel De Gucht at the Atlantic Council, February 18, 2014 [Photo: Atlantic Council/Flickr]
Trade & Society 25-06-2014

De Gucht downplays corporate dominance in TTIP talks

Est. 4min

Multinational companies will not be given too much power by a trade agreement between the European Union and the United States, the EU's trade chief said on Tuesday (24 June), seeking to reassure consumer and environmental groups opposed to the pact.