100 posts
International Trade and the Fight Against Climate Change
In the fight against climate change international trade can be either part of the problem or part of the solution. Both policy areas are closely intertwined. Just consider the millions of tons of goods ranging from T-shirts to raw materials that are...
One Consultation for 28 Commission Retail Initiatives?
Brussels seems quieter than ever at the moment, yet behind the scenes there is plenty of work to be done. There are just over two weeks left of a major Commission consultation on the retail sector, which could form the basis of a whole host of new in...
EU Seal Trade Ban Begins
This week marks the beginning of an EU ban on the trade of all seal products, except for those hunted by traditional methods. But what's next for animal welfare groups?
EPA must be development tool: ACP SG
The Secretary General of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, who is in Port Vila this week to attend the Pacific ACP leaders meeting said any Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the regions of ACP m...
Privacy challenges facing the European Union from ACTA
Since the early ‘70s, European countries have adopted a comprehensive legal framework on personal data protection that aims to balance the free flow of information for market purposes with an adequate level of protection for the right of privacy.
Pacific ACP leaders conclude meeting on EU assistance and trade
The 8th meeting of the Pacific ACP Leaders was held in Port Vila, Republic of Vanuatu Tuesday 3rd August to discuss the progress of European Union assistance through the European Development Fund (EDF) to the region as well as trade issues.
Letter to President of Mexico regarding ACTA
The following is a letter written by Alberto Cerda Silva, a Research Associate of Knowledge Ecology International, to Felipe Calderón Hinojosa, Presidente Constitucional de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, regarding the position of the Mexican governme...
Cameroon can be the leading ACP banana producer
Jean-Yves Brethes: Cameroon can be the leading ACP banana producerThe CEO of Spm announces his company’s objectives after obtaining financing from the African Export Import Bank. Your company has recently obtained financing of almost 2.5 billion FC...
EU Delegation commends the Wood Tracking System in Ghana
The Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation in Ghana, Ambassador Claude Maerten, has commended the Ghana Forestry Commission (FC) on the progress made in recent months in the development of an innovative Wood Tracking System (WTS).
Pacific Islands – EU relations
From 3 – 6 August, Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu, will host the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). Founded in 1971, it is the region's major political and economic policy institution with a mission to strengthen regional cooperation and integration.
Last obstacles for EPA signing removed
The three-year tussle between some southern African countries, including Namibia, and the European Union (EU) to finalise trade negotiations for the economic partnership agreements (EPAs) will be concluded by the end of this year.
A call for swifter action to remove unnecessary control on banana imports
The Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) is calling on the Food Standards Agency and the European Commission to lift with immediate effect the unnecessary checks on imports of bananas from the Dominican Republic. ...
Dominican banana exports to Europe jump 25%
The country’s leading banana producers announced a 25% jump in exports to Europe to more than 58 million dollars in the first half and expect to top US$160 million in 2010. Last year producers exported to Europe 280,000 metric tons of bananas and e...
EU Backs Off on EPA
European Union (EU) Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht has appeased leading European civil society organisations about the negotiations for a Southern African economic partnership agreement (EPA), promising "not to put undue pressure" on countries.&nb...
International trade, european values
We need to keep working hard to conclude the Doha Development Round. It will greatly benefit the world economy, plus it holds a range of systemic advantages that cannot be allowed to slip out of reach. The political reality however is that concluding...
Guyana Has No Regrets over Holding Out on EPA
Two years after 14 Caribbean countries signed a wide-ranging and controversial Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Europe, Guyanese President Bharrat Jagdeo still maintains that his country was right in holding out until the last minute to ge...
Piebalgs in London to promote EU action against illegal timber export
On July 15th, Commissioner Piebalgs was in London to deliver a speech at the launch of a report prepared by an international think tank on "Illegal Logging and Related Trade". The report documents progress made at the global level of combating illeg...
Parliament vote seals ban on illegal timber
The European Parliament (7th July 2010) backed a compromise to close EU markets to illegal timber. MEPs voted to approve a political inter-institutional agreement on a new regulation that sets obligations on operators that place timber or related pr...
EU sets November deadline for new trade pact
Kenya has been pushed into a tight spot after Europe set a November deadline to conclude long running negotiations with East Africa over the signing of new trade and economic partnership agreements.The new deadline followed an unsuccessful round of t...
New hope for stalled world trade talks
A robust rebound in world trade and political progress at the G20 have set the stage for a renewed push to agree a global trade deal, according to top-ranking officials from the EU, US and China. EurActiv reports from the European Business Summit (EB...
Carbon efficiency and trade policy
In an earlier post, I wondered whether there were data on the relative carbon efficiency of agricultural production in Europe versus third countries. A recent FAO study arising from a collaborative effort by FAO and the International Dairy Federation...
ACP Council held in Ouagadougou discussed EPAs and Sugar
The African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Council of Ministers met in Quagadougou, Burkina Faso from the 17th –19th June, 2010. The Joint ACP-EU Council will also hold their Meeting from the 21st – 22nd June, 210. The ACP Council discussed severa...
EU sets November deadline for new trade pact with EAC
The European Union (EU) has set a November deadline to conclude long running negotiations with East Africa over the signing of a new economic partnership agreement (EPA). The new deadline followed an unsuccessful round of talks in Dar es Salaam, Tanz...
Increase in non-tariff barriers causing concern in Comesa
The increase of non-tariff barriers in the $350 billion Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa in the recent past is causing concern among some member states. The countries are expressing fear that efforts to establish a fully func...
Supermarket supply chains and workers in the developing world
Yesterday in the European Parliament, I hosted a major event bringing together supermarkets, NGOs such as Oxfam, Fair Trade organisations, consumers organisations, MEPs, representatives from the Commission and trade unionists, both from Europe and La...
Main ACP-EU events for the week of 21st to 25th June 2010
European Parliament (Brussels): - 22nd June: Hearing on the external dimension of the Common Fisheries Policy- 22nd June: Commissioner De Gucht at the Committee on International Trade EU Presidency: - 24th June (Luxembourg): Council of Telecommunicat...
NGOs want to boost the growth of fair trade flowers
Campaigners protesting against the inhumane working conditions and long working hours in the flower industry handed out fair trade flowers produced under the Flower Label Program to European Parliamentarians in Brussels, 1 June to urge them to suppor...
Nigeria: Nasarawa exports yams to UK
Nasarawa State government has exported over 118 metric tonnes of yam to the United Kingdom (UK) under the trademark, PEPA Yam. The state, which began the exportation late last year, is billed to export 50 metric tonnes of the yam to UK this month. Th...
Namibia Stands Up to EU 'Bullying'
Tensions between the European Union and Africa have once again erupted, with Namibia accusing the Brussels elite of resorting to bullying tactics in trade negotiations.
Mixed reactions trail EU- ECOWAS Economic Partnership Agreement
The ongoing Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union(EU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is still marred by suspicions and fears nursed especially by ECOWAS countries.
Germany Needs a Liberal Trade Policy Agenda
Germany depends on the world economy, and Germans pride themselves for their export performance. It is time for Germany to contribute more actively and consistently to the global economic order on which its wealth rests. Germany should adopt a more l...
The impact of conflicts on trade and goods turnover
Free trade: the lost opportunity of unresolved conflicts READ MORE...
Public consultation on future EU trade policy
Following the 'Europe 2020' paper adopted by the European Commission on 3 March 2010, the European Commission is now launching a broad public consultation on the future direction of EU trade policy. The Commission's intention is to set out its policy...
East Africa hopeful for EU trade deal soon
The EAC and the European Union have been at loggerheads for months over signing the so-called Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which was designed to replace preferential trade deals the World Trade Organisation has struck down.
Farmers oppose relaunch of EU-Mercosur trade talks
The European Union and the Mercosur group of four South American countries relaunched talks on Monday (17 May) aimed at creating the world's largest trading bloc despite warnings that a deal could hurt EU farmers.
EU calls on trading partners to remove protectionist barriers
Almost 280 trade restrictive measures have been put in place by the European Union’s major trade partners during the economic crisis over the last 18 months according to a new report published today by the European Commission. Contrary to the G20 c...
Written Questions - Trade Negotiations
Job losses at Twinings, Hampshire, UK Trade liberalisation and the economic crisis EU -Israel trade agreement (ACCA) EU-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations [...]...
Written Questions - Weapons
Commission’s position on UN Resolution on the African Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty US Missile Defence System in Poland 2008 Global treaty [...]...
EU-Mercosur Free Trade is not a good Idea
At the insistence of the Spanish presidency, the EU high Level meeting with the four Mercosur countries (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay) has decided to reopen negotiations on a free trade agreement, which had been suspended in 2004 after fiv...
Council conclusions: EU action in the area of commodities
The 3011th Council meeting on Foreign Affairs held in Brussels on 10 May 2010 adopted conclusions on EU actions in the area of commodities, as set out in document light of the above and bearing in mind the need to ensure supply security, the EU will...
France details plans for 'carbon inclusion mechanism'
A campaign led by French President Nicolas Sarkozy to introduce carbon tariffs at EU borders in order to restore fair competition with freely-polluting industries in China is being revamped in Brussels to allay fears that it might trigger a trade war...
Partnership agreement against illegal logging between EU and Congo
The 3014th Council meeting on Agriculture and Fisheries held in Brussels on 17 May 2010 adopted a decision on the signing of a voluntary partnership agreement between the EU and Congo on forest law enforcement, governance and trade in timber and de...
Mozambique to export non-traditional products to European market
Mozambique’s Institute for Export Promotion (Ipex) has launched seven pilot projects to test the export potential of non-traditional products to the European market, Radio Moçambique reported.Funding of the project estimated at 1.2 million euros w...
Fair Trade Farmers’ Exports Hit by Volcanic Ash
African farmers are assessing the financial impact of the Icelandic volcanic ash clouds that led to a lockdown of Europe’s airspace, forcing fair trade flower growers from Africa to throw away 20 million roses that were meant for the European marke...
Labour standards and trade policy
European Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht and European Trade Union Confederation’s General Secretary John Monks met to discuss how the EU’s trade policy can contribute to the promotion of decent work.
Caribbean rum in grave danger
All rum producers in the Dominican Republic and Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries are facing the grim prospect of losing their markets in Europe. Having convinced Caribbean’s negotiators to sign a full Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) wit...
Public consultation on the EU Generalised System of Preferences
The EU's Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) is a trade arrangement through which the EU prvides preferential access to the EU market to 176 developing countries and territories, in the form of reduced tariffs for their goods when entering the EU...
Mauritania: EU review fisheries agreement
Representatives of the government of Mauritania and the European Union (EU) have started to review the application of the fisheries agreement between the two parties, which came into force two years ago. For his part, Hans-Georg Gerstenlauer, head o...
Impatient EU Pushes for Progress on EPA Trade Deal
The European Commission (EC) is increasing the pressure on the East African Community (EAC) to sign the free trade deal known as an economic partnership agreement with the EU. Jacques Wunenburger, head of the economic partnership agreement (EPA) Unit...
How can direct payments be justified after 2013?
Former OECD ag supremo demolishes the arguments.
Bilateral deals will open up EU trade
Eighteen months ago, when the world economy seemed on the brink of collapse, one of the biggest fears was that economic depression would trigger a global wave of protectionism. So it’s all the more surprising that Europe is busily working on new tr...
Lisbon wars - The Council fights back
On Wednesday, your humble blogger reported about the letter from the European Parliament's international trade committee to the Council demanding more involvement in international trade matters. In the draft reply from the Council you can see that th...
EC consults stakeholders over trade policy towards developing countries
European Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht opened a conference focused on the European Union's trade policy towards developing countries. The objective of this conference is to discuss publicly how to maintain the effectiveness of the EU's General Sy...
The involvement of the European Parliament: Common Commercial policy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rtppt/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Vital Moreira (photo), the Chair of the European Parliament Committee on International Trade (INTA), has addressed a letter to Miguel Sebastián Cascón, the Spanish Minister for Trade, Industry,...
Five reasons to suspend EPA negotiations
By Ablassé Ouédraogo, former Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and former special advisor to the President of ECOWAS for trade negotiations. In September 2002, the EU began trade negotiations with 76 African, Caribbean a...
Thailand, Brazil, Australia may take EU sugar case to WTO
The world’s three major sugar-exporting nations – Thailand, Brazil and Australia – recently expressed their opposition to the European Union’s (EU’s) export subsidy on sugar, on the grounds that it affects prices and lowers other countries
EU fury over bilateral trade pact delay
The delay in the signing of economic partnership agreements by East African Community member states has aroused the ire of the European Union. The EU has described the situation as untenable and contrary to both EU law and World Trade Organisation ru...
Expert Urges EU to Develop Nations Infrastructure for EPA
Dr Jonathan Aremu, a consultant to the Common Investment Market of ECOWAS, has urged the European Union (EU) to show commitment in developing Nigeria's infrastructure before the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) is signed. The EPA is a trade agree...
Linking EU Trade and Development Policies
Lessons from the ACP-EU trade negotiations on Economic Partnership Agreements.The present study is part of a more comprehensive research project on ‘European policy for global development’ funded by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation an...
EU Parliament Demands Ban On Trade In Endangered Bluefin Tuna
10 February 2010 - The EU Parliament plenary in Strasbourg today adopted a resolution (1) that calls on the EU [...]...
France backs ban on bluefin tuna trade
Within the next fortnight, France will announce its support for adding bluefin tuna to Appendix 1 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES),according to an article published on the website of French newspaper, Le Monde.Th...
International trade and emerging protectionism since the crisis
A stocktake of trade policy in 2009 -- Two thousand and nine was a crisis year for international trade, which suffered its steepest decline since the 1930s. Protectionism returned, reversing an almost three-decade trend of trade liberalisation. But,...
Agri-Trade in the European Union and EU Policy
EU:the world’s sleeping trade giant « Feeding the habitNick Jacobs writes:"[O]ne of the key conundrums Europe faces: how can trade policy facilitate/regulate the flow of foodstuffs in and out of Europe in a way that helps secure European and globa...
Karel De Gucht on international trade – with comments
The Summary of hearing of Karel de Gucht – Trade (12 January 2010) published by the European Parliament mentions most of the big issues facing the future trade Commissioner and the common commercial policy of the European Union, but the answers as...
EU's de Gucht unsure over Doha conclusion this year
The European Union's trade commissioner-designate said on Tuesday he was unsure whether world leaders would achieve their pledge to complete the Doha round of global trade talks this year. The G20 group of rich and emerging economies pledged last yea...
ACTA: Whose Digital Agenda for Europe and the world?
The mysterious ways of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) negotiators raise questions about whose Digital Agenda is being pursued. The lack of transparency results in growing mistrust. Here is a sample of recent texts about the problems f...
EU ACTA addenda
In addition to the blog post EU enforcement of intellectual property rights (IPR) and ACTA (10 January 2010), there is at least one document I would want to bring to the attention of interested EU citizens, with regard to the trade aspects of intelle...
China’s trade with US decreases in importance
James Kynge in today’s Financial Times disputes the received wisdom that, with the collapse in US consumer demand, China has no alternative but to increase domestic demand. He argues that the huge increase in China’s trade with south-east Asia a...
The countdown to a new gas crisis
For Naftogaz Ukraine, things are very clear: the company has no money to pay for gas. Annual gas war between Russia and Ukraine, most likely, can start again. The president of Ukraine, Victor Yushchenko, has addressed to the chief of National Bank...
Caribbean banana under treat
Martinique’s banana growers have cause for concern. The European Union has signed an agreement ending the preferential tariffs they previously enjoyed. The conflict between Latin American and ACP banana producers regarding EU customs tariffs had ra...
Keeping an eye on the sugar market
Sugar did not experience the massive price spike in 2007-08 of other commodities, but has been making up for this with a tremendous increase in prices in 2009, driven by poor harvests in Brazil (the world’s largest producer) and strong import deman...
Fiji signs trade and development agreement with the EU
Fiji has signed today an interim Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU. The agreement focuses on trade in goods and provides duty free – quota free access for all products from Fiji to the EU market. It also aims to deepen cooperation in areas...
Doha trade talks: defend EU interests, say MEPs
Success at the Doha trade talks could stimulate economic recovery worldwide, but the European Commission must stick to its negotiating brief on market access for farm and non-farm products and services, said Parliament in a resolution approved in Str...
Updating Economic Partnership Agreements to Today’s Global Challenges
African and Pacific countries continue to negotiate the challenging Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the European Union. These new agreements have the potential to help African countries accelerate their economic growth and develop more re...
Progress in SA-EU negotiations
The deadlock in trade negotiations between the EU and South Africa that threatened to break the world's oldest customs union, the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), is set to ease off, thanks to progress being made in ironing out differences betw...
Lamy hails accord ending long running banana dispute
Director General Pascal Lamy applauded yesterday the successful efforts of Latin American banana producing nations, the United States and the European Union to end their long running dispute over trade in bananas. The banana issue is one of the lon...
Trade agreements and their relation to labour standards
This study provides a political and legal review of how international labour standards have been introduced and how those standards have evolved in the international trade arena. The author analyses new trends and negotiations on trade and labour sta...
Banana Wars End
The longest trade dispute in EU history, known as the “Banana Wars”, has ended. Ambassadors from the EU and Latin American countries today agreed to end a dispute over the EU’s banana imports which has lasted for more than 15 years. As part...
Export helpdesk newsletter
The December issue is discussing the new regulations on organic farming entered into force in 2009. The organic farming sector is subject to ever growing interest both among European consumers who opt to buy organic products as an alternative to prod...
Haiti signs the CARIFORUM–EU Economic Partnership Agreement
On December 11, Haiti signed the Economic Partnership Agreement and joins the fourteen Caribbean States that signed the EPA in October 2008. This will strengthen Haiti's ties both with the EU, and with other Caribbean countries. The Cariforum-EU EPA...
More fuel for the protectionist fire
My post of 2 December expressed concern about growing protectionism and China’s contribution to this. China published a circular on 15 November, establishing “an Indigenous Innovation Product Accreditation system”. To be eligible for public...
Transparency and human rights: the WTO's threat to sovereign bad governance
Strengthening the WTO’ Trade Policy Review Mechanisms is not an easy task. Governments happen not to like transparency in trade politics, and even less international scrutiny. Three little quotations show that vividly.
