About: Valdis Dombrovskis
GAFA targeted by both the US and EU ahead of tech and trade meeting
The United States and European Union plan to take a more unified approach to limit the growing market power of Big Tech companies, according to a leaked draft memo. The move will be among announcements on tech, climate, trade and...
EU agrifood sector rejoices at five-year trade truce with US
Agri-food stakeholders and policymakers have welcomed the extension of the retaliatory tariff reprieve with the United States for another five years, as well as the steps taken to end the civil aircraft dispute that has disproportionately affected the sector.
Tweets of the Week: European Semester, Sound Canon, ECJ Hungary case
Commission unveils the European Semester, the EU is not the sound canon tester and Viktor Orban finds that he’s the court jester.
Dombrovskis: ‘We are quite satisfied with the recovery plans submitted’
The EU’s framework to coordinate national economies this year has been shaped by the recovery and resilience plans. The Commission’s executive vice-president for economy, Valdis Dombrovskis, told a group of media including EURACTIV that overall, the EU executive is satisfied with the recovery plans submitted by 23 member states.
EU hopeful of ending US aircraft dispute by July
The European Union and the United States are working to resolve a dispute over subsidies to aircraft makers and should be able to do so by July, the EU's trade chief said on Thursday (20 May) in a further sign of improving transatlantic trade ties.
Commission set to propose alternatives to COVID vaccine IP waiver
As the debate on waiving intellectual property (IP) rights on COVID vaccines heats up, the European Commission is working on an alternative proposal that it wants to submit to the World Trade Organisation, while EU lawmakers remain split on the subject.
EU, US move to end steel row and point to China
The EU and US took a step towards a post-Trump trade truce on Monday (17 May), agreeing to hold talks to end a tit-for-tat feud over steel and aluminium tariffs.
EU efforts to ratify China investment deal ‘suspended’ after sanctions
European trade commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said on Tuesday (4 May) that efforts to win approval for a proposed massive investment deal with China were effectively "suspended" after tit-for-tat sanctions were imposed by both sides.
WTO chief targets EU’s farm policy as part of global discussion on subsidies
The managing director of the World Trade Organisation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said she wants to discuss China’s industrial subsidies but also state aid given to farmers, such as Europe’s Common Agricultural Policy, as part of efforts to improve the multilateral trading system.
Italy risks missing Recovery Plan deadline ‘due to EU concerns’
Italy risks missing the deadline for submitting a final version of its Recovery Plan to the European Commission because Brussels is not satisfied with several aspects of the drafts presented so far, two sources close to the matter said.
EU on the outs with AstraZeneca as vaccine deliveries struggle to take off
EU officials remain frustrated by the behaviour of AstraZeneca pharmaceutical, which is still struggling to deliver the expected doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to Europe, and are set to use all the tools at their disposal to secure further doses for Europeans.
UK accuses EU of brinkmanship over vaccine export threat
British foreign minister Dominic Raab accused the European Commission of brinkmanship over its threat to ban exports of COVID-19 vaccines, calling for Commission head Ursula von der Leyen to explain her comments.
Seven EU countries have not yet submitted recovery plans
The European Commission reiterated on Thursday (11 March) that the remaining seven EU member states have to submit their national recovery plans by the end of April in order to access the funds.
Commission wants to keep fiscal rules suspended in 2022
The European Commission said on Wednesday (3 March) that the Stability and Growth Pact should remain suspended next year as the European economy needs additional stimulus to return to the pre-crisis level.
Commission wants to ‘explore options’ for India trade, investment
The European Commission said on Thursday (18 February) that it wants to "explore options" for expanding the EU’s trade and investment with India, notably ahead of the summit scheduled for May in Porto as part of Portugal's presidency of the Council of the EU.
Commission demands more precision and ambition in national recovery plans
Member states should include more specific milestones and targets and more ambitious reforms in their recovery plans to access the unprecedented stimulus package to combat the COVID pandemic, the European Commission warned on Tuesday (19 February).
Dombrovskis: Deep and comprehensive trade deal with the US ‘not feasible’
European Commission executive vice-president, Valdis Dombrovskis, believes that Joe Biden's victory will bring a fresh start to the EU-US relations. But there are limits, as he considers that it would not be feasible to try again to negotiate a deep and comprehensive trade deal like the TTIP, he told EURACTIV in an interview on Wednesday.
Row over rule of law infects EU virus summit
Hungary and Poland’s opposition to Brussels’ oversight over the rule of law will be top of the EU summit agenda Thursday (19 November), sidelining efforts to tackle the coronavirus epidemic. EU member states had planned to share the lessons learned...
WTO authorises EU tariffs on $4 billion of US goods over Boeing dispute
The World Trade Organisation authorised on Tuesday (13 October) the EU to impose tariffs on US exports worth $4 billion in compensation for the subsidies given to Boeing by Washington.
Tweets of the Week: Quarantined VDL, Barless Brussels, Happy Commissioner Reshuffle
Ursula Von der Leyen is all on her own, Brussels becomes a booze-free zone and the reshuffled Commission is what we’d already known.
Wanted: a positive trade agenda for Europe
Trade Commissioner nominee Valdis Dombrovskis needs to go back to basics and create a positive EU trade agenda. It is vital that the EU chooses a more open path and resists the renewed pressure for protectionism, argue Fredrik Persson and Anna Stellinger.
Dombrovskis announces new defense instrument against trade ‘bullies’
The European Commission's executive vice-president, Valdis Dombrovskis, told the European Parliament on Friday (2 October) that he will put forward a new mechanism to protect the EU from the coercive manoeuvres of trade partners like US and China.
Dombrovskis and McGuinness hearings scheduled for 12 October
Commissioners-designate Valdis Dombrovskis and Mairead McGuinness will face their European Parliament hearings to take over Trade and Financial Services on 12 October, with EU lawmakers to decide on their nominations the following week.