Trade – Euractiv

G7 cooperation with China on climate-aligned trade is vital

Joseph Dellatte, Matt Piotrowski — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 11:30:42 +0000

G7 countries should work with China to put in place climate-aligned trade policies needed to accelerate global climate action, by harnessing the power of international trade to promote innovation, reduce costs, and stimulate demand for green goods, write Matt Piotrowski and Joseph Dellatte.

UPDATE: EU-China tensions flare up as Chinese government backlashes against EU tariffs announcement

Jonathan Packroff — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 09:53:29 +0000

The EU will put additional tariffs on electric cars produced in China, the European Commission announced on Wednesday (12 June), as preliminary result of a anti-subsidy investigation showed prices being distorted by Chinese state support.

How EU-China trade negotiations could play out

Jonathan Packroff — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 04:30:58 +0000

While the imposition of new tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles proves controversial within the EU due to the fear of Chinese retaliation, the option of negotiations has been met with increasing attention.

Limited appetite among member states for EU trade sanctions on Israel

Alexandra Brzozowski, Thomas Moller-Nielsen — Thu, 30 May 2024 12:30:02 +0000

Amid growing calls for economic sanctions against Israel in view of the worsening humanitarian toll of its military operations in Gaza, EU trade ministers briefly discussed the issue on Thursday (30 May) but remained far from deciding on actual steps.

Turkey should be ‘firmly re-anchored’ in EU, finance minister says

Thomas Moller-Nielsen — Wed, 15 May 2024 04:00:05 +0000

Speaking in Brussels on Tuesday (14 May), Mehmet Şimşek added that the EU and Turkey share “equal blame” for the deterioration in their relationship in recent years.

China’s Xi to woo close ally Hungary with more investment

Alexandra Brzozowski, Donagh Cagney — Wed, 08 May 2024 04:30:13 +0000

On the last leg of his European tour in Hungary, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday (8 May) is expected to tighten ties with Budapest, its closest ally in the European Union. After Paris, Xi’s visits to Belgrade and now...

Xi’s Europe visit shows the EU needs an economic intelligence service

Mathieu Duchâtel — Fri, 03 May 2024 14:00:07 +0000

EU countries and European institutions must do much more to share and centralise sensitive data, to better apprehend economic security risks and more efficiently protect supply chains from increasingly predacious geopolitical actors, writes Mathieu Duchâtel.

De-risking must be Team Europe’s strategy on China

Earl Wang, Gesine Weber — Fri, 03 May 2024 08:30:41 +0000

After German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s visit to Beijing, France's Emmanuel Macron must make clear when President Xi visits Paris that de-risking is more than just 'made in Brussels', write Gesine Weber and Earl Wang.

EU officials scramble to prove Trade and Technology Council will survive Trump

Alexandra Brzozowski, Anna Brunetti, Eliza Gkritsi, Thomas Moller-Nielsen — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 09:10:34 +0000

The European Commission played down fears that the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC) could succumb to a Donald Trump presidency as pressure on high-level officials from both sides increased ahead of their meeting in Leuven, Belgium, on Thursday (4 April).

Macron open to new EU-Mercosur deal

Paul Messad — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 05:55:41 +0000

On a three-day official visit in Brazil, Emmanuel Macron proposed building a "new agreement" between the EU and Mercosur, which his Foreign Minister imagines to be broader than just trade. Critics and supporters of the original deal are now awaiting further details.

French government refuses to put CETA to parliamentary vote before European elections

Hugo Struna — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 16:03:58 +0000

The ratification of CETA, the trade agreement between the EU and Canada, rejected last week by the Senate, will not be submitted to the National Assembly before the European elections, the government has confirmed, so as not to "instrumentalise the debate".

Macron may ignore the French Parliament if CETA is rejected

Hugo Struna — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 15:28:54 +0000

With the Senate having just rejected the trade agreement with Canada (CETA) and a new rejection looming in the National Assembly just before the European elections, France could ignore this decision. The opposition is denouncing this as an anti-democratic move.

Industrial Competitiveness [Advocacy Lab Content]

Christina Kamperi — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 14:45:09 +0000

Despite the passing of the Critical Raw Materials Act in 2023, Europe's reliance on importing critical raw materials remains a concern. In this series, Euractiv explores the EU's different routes to close the competitiveness gap in raw materials and decrease reliance on unpredictable suppliers.

EU-China trade slips as Beijing ‘de-risks’ from the West

Thomas Moller-Nielsen — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 16:06:21 +0000

“We’re not de-risking,” one expert told Euractiv. “What’s happening is that China is not importing from us. And the main reason is that they are substituting our imports.”

WTO convenes ministers in UAE with slim hopes for breakthrough

Georgi Gotev — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 06:17:59 +0000

The world's trade ministers gathered in the UAE on Monday (26 February) for a high-level WTO meeting with no clear prospects for breakthroughs, amid geopolitical tensions and disagreements.

EU-Mercosur unlikely to be finalised before the EU elections

Paul Messad — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 17:39:14 +0000

It is highly unlikely that the hotly-contested EU-Mercosur free trade agreement will be concluded before the EU elections in June, French and German MPs familiar with the matter told Euractiv France.

German liberals want to renegotiate EU due diligence law, blame Spain

Jonathan Packroff — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 05:35:21 +0000

Germany’s liberal FDP party wants to reopen negotiations on the EU’s Due Diligence Directive after the issue was removed from the agenda of a meeting of EU ambassadors last Friday, which the party says shows the poor quality of the preliminary agreement reached in December.

EU announces new ‘interpretation’ of Canada trade deal in bid to ensure ratification

Thomas Moller-Nielsen — Sat, 10 Feb 2024 06:31:28 +0000

The European Commission and Canada have agreed on the "interpretation” of parts of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) that relate to investor protection from environmental regulation, in a push by Brussels to persuade member states to ratify the bilateral multibillion-euro deal.

The Brief – Groundhog Mercosur

Paul Messad — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 15:20:04 +0000

It’s been 25 years since the four Mercosur nations and the EU vowed to sign a free-trade agreement. Twenty-five years of political to-ing and fro-ing, now compounded with pro-environmental imperatives pushing negotiations to the brink of collapse.

French Greens urge Macron to form ‘anti-Mercosur coalition’

Paul Messad — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 12:16:49 +0000

In a letter sent on Wednesday (31 January), France's Greens called on President Emmanuel Macron to form a coalition with EU countries that also oppose the EU-Mercosur deal in its current form - an idea Macron's camp has already dismissed as hopeless.

EU-US trade and tech talks stutter as decisive April meeting looms

Olivia Gyapong — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 04:30:49 +0000

Top EU officials struggled to keep EU-US trade and tech talks alive this week, with pressure on both sides of the Atlantic rising to lock in a final policy deal before the November US presidential election.

Cars v cows: German automakers call to split EU-Mercosur deal to bypass French ‘non’

Jonathan Packroff, Paul Messad — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 05:38:16 +0000

The EU-Mercosur trade agreement should be split into two distinctive parts to circumvent French resistance based on agricultural issues, the German car industry has proposed, in a bid to boost export markets other than China.

Food as movies: The agricultural exception is gaining traction in France

Hugo Struna — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 12:22:49 +0000

France's far-right Rassemblement National and far-left LFI are proposing to introduce a form of 'agricultural exception' - which, as is already the case for the arts, would exempt some agricultural products from the EU's free trade agreements with other countries.

German steelmaker states signal support for US-EU industry alliance

Nikolaus J. Kurmayer — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 09:00:22 +0000

An alliance of German steelmaking states have put their weight behind a global sustainable steel club that the US hopes will reduce China's ability to undercut European and American markets, and welcomed the support for the industry’s green transition.

France reaffirms opposition to EU-Mercosur deal as farmers’ protests mount

Paul Messad — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 15:14:09 +0000

French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and MPs from all sides of the political spectrum have reaffirmed France's opposition to the EU-Mercosur deal in a timely political move as farmers fiercely opposing the deal have stepped up protests and plan to march on Paris.

Security or prosperity: Must the EU decide?

Thomas Moller-Nielsen — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 10:52:58 +0000

As the EU has presented its shiny new economic security package this week, it will now need to square the circle between security and prosperity.

EU hopes to overcome US opposition to WTO ‘court’ as key summit nears

Jonathan Packroff — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 07:31:38 +0000

Ahead of a key summit of members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Abu Dhabi at the end of February, the EU hopes for a reform of the organisation’s “dispute settlement mechanism”, a court-like institution paralysed by the USA.

Expert on EU-Mercosur deal: Argentina needs green investments, not rules

János Allenbach-Ammann — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 09:28:47 +0000

Marcela Cristini, senior economist at the Argentinian Foundation for Economic Investigations in Latin America (FIEL), argued that the new Argentinian government would favour the trade deal between the EU and Mercosur but that the EU’s ecological requirements went too far....

After Karlsruhe: Germany’s economic security agenda on the brink

Tobias Gehrke — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 15:12:39 +0000

The ruling from the German constitutional court in Karlsruhe, declaring the transfer of 60 billion Euros in Covid-related debt to the Klima- und Transformationsfond (KTF) unlawful, has cast a shadow of uncertainty over Germany's economic security agenda, argues Tobias Gehrke.

EU should steel itself ahead of 2024 US elections

Brandon Bohrn, Etienne Höra — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 06:30:43 +0000

As the negotiations on the EU–US Global Arrangement on Sustainable Steel and Aluminium (GSA) falter, the EU should steel itself ahead of the 2024 US elections, write Brandon Bohrn and Etienne Höra.

EU Commission postpones reintroduction of steel tariffs until after US election

János Allenbach-Ammann — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 07:21:24 +0000

The EU Commission on Tuesday (19 December) announced that it would keep tariffs on US steel and aluminium suspended until March 2015 with the goal of reaching a deal on green steel and aluminium until then.

Chocolate wars as Italian artisans battle Swiss giant

Georgi Gotev — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 07:27:19 +0000

Turin's famed gianduiotto, a small, creamy chocolate that melts on the tongue, is at the centre of a battle for European recognition pitting Italian artisans against Swiss giant Lindt.

EU Parliament and member states reach deal on corporate due diligence law

János Allenbach-Ammann — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 10:05:03 +0000

Negotiators of the European Council and Parliament agreed on Thursday (14 December) after an all-night discussion a compromise deal on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), including on the most controversial aspects of the inclusion of finance and on the obligation to implement climate plans.

An EU trade agreement with Mercosur? The answer is still a no!

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 15:30:59 +0000

While negotiations for the EU-Mercosur agreement are currently taking place on a daily basis to speed up the conclusion of the additional protocol, more work needs to be done to match our commitments, writes a group of EU lawmakers.

Germany, Brazil fight to keep EU-Mercosur deal alive

Jonathan Packroff — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 08:24:40 +0000

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva committed to concluding the EU-Mercosur trade agreement in Berlin on Monday (4 December), despite the blowback the deal received from France and Argentina.

Europe vs China: how many divisions?

Francois Godement — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 05:30:00 +0000

Next week's EU-China Summit will not lead to grand changes in both superpowers' fraught relationship, and it is high time the EU starts thinking collectively on pushing back against China's bullying ways, Institut Montaigne's François Godement writes.

Trade must be taken more seriously as an environmental issue

Laurence Tubiana, Richard Baron — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 05:30:00 +0000

Countries’ carbon footprints are determined by what they buy and sell from each other, not just by their own production. So trade policy should play a role in countries’ efforts to decarbonise – alignment of the two is long overdue, write Laurence Tubiana and Richard Baron.

South Korea’s ‘US for security, China for economy’ strategy no longer working

János Allenbach-Ammann — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 16:57:45 +0000

As the EU is struggling to balance its economic and security interests amid US-China tensions, South Korea faces similar challenges in a much more accentuated way, requiring the country to take extraordinary care in devising its economic security strategy.

EU-New Zealand trade pact gets Brussels’ final green light

Georgi Gotev — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 13:14:14 +0000

Brussels on Monday (27 November) gave the final green light for an EU-New Zealand trade deal that, while mutually lowering barriers for both markets, highlights the recent failure of EU-Australia negotiations.

Chinese businesses criticise EU’s ‘de-risking’ approach

Jonathan Packroff — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 15:29:17 +0000

Despite assurances that the EU does not want to decouple its trade from China, Chinese companies operating in Europe say they are facing uncertainty regarding their future, but nevertheless continue to invest in the bloc.

EU ambassadors discuss possible carve-out of finance from due diligence rules

Silvia Ellena — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 16:17:33 +0000

The Spanish Presidency of the EU Council is asking member states to compromise on climate and civil liability provisions in exchange for a carve-out of finance from the proposed EU corporate accountability rules, amid growing calls to include the sector under mandatory due diligence checks.

Spanish Presidency mulls excluding finance from due diligence rules

Silvia Ellena — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:50:36 +0000

The Spanish Presidency of the EU Council is leaning towards the exclusion of the financial sector from the EU corporate accountability rules, which are currently under inter-institutional negotiations, according to an internal document seen by Euractiv.

Incarcerated for his advocacy, this activist puts his hopes on EU’s due diligence law

János Allenbach-Ammann — Wed, 08 Nov 2023 10:20:13 +0000

As representatives of the European Parliament and EU countries negotiate the details of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) in Brussels, visiting Guatemalan human rights activist Bernardo Caal Xol has urged them to implement the directive, which would force European companies to behave more responsibly.

‘Ridiculous’: German exporters fume over failed EU-Australia trade deal

Jonathan Packroff — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 17:36:15 +0000

After the surprise failure of the year-long negotiations between the EU and Australia for a free-trade agreement, representatives of Germany’s export-oriented industries strongly criticised the disproportionate influence of agricultural interests on trade deals.

US official defends Inflation Reduction Act against EU criticism

Jonathan Packroff — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 06:32:36 +0000

US Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo, speaking in Berlin on Tuesday (31 October), defended the Inflation Reduction Act against criticism from the EU, calling upon European countries to adopt similar policies.

Targeting of EU officials with Predator spyware shows need for stronger legal controls

Hannah Storey — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 12:42:39 +0000

While the EU has so far failed to take appropriate action against the most invasive forms of spyware, the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) could offer a crucial opportunity for the EU to rein in the rampant human rights...

EU, Australia fail to agree on trade deal

János Allenbach-Ammann — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 05:48:14 +0000

Meeting at the margins of the G7 meeting in Osaka on Sunday (29 October), EU and Australian trade representatives failed to conclude negotiations on a free trade agreement due to persistent disagreements on agricultural market access. “Unfortunately, we have not...

China to curb exports of graphite, a key battery material

admin — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 07:40:40 +0000

China, the world's top graphite producer, on Friday (20 October) announced new curbs on exports of certain types of graphite, key to making batteries for electric vehicles, in its latest move to control supplies of critical minerals in response to challenges over its manufacturing dominance.

Prospects dim for deals on trade at Washington EU-US summit

Georgi Gotev — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 05:33:26 +0000

Prospects dimmed on Thursday (19 October) for agreements ending long-running disputes between the United States and European Union over Trump-era tariffs and US green subsidies after negotiators failed to make any breakthroughs before a White House summit.

Crunchtime for the due diligence law

Ottavia Migliavacca — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 11:50:47 +0000

As the EU's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) is being discussed between member state governments and the European Parliament, it looks like one of the most significant pieces of corporate legislation in a long time is on the line.

Ugandan activists call on EU to move forward on due diligence law

János Allenbach-Ammann — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 16:50:22 +0000

Human rights lawyer Maxwell Atuhura and environmental activist Nick Omonuk have called on EU lawmakers to decide on a strong due diligence law so that they have an avenue to justice that is barred to them in Uganda.

Council to discuss inclusion of finance under EU due diligence rules

Silvia Ellena — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 07:55:09 +0000

EU countries are set to start discussions on the inclusion of the financial sector under the scope of the proposed EU corporate accountability directive, in an effort to find a negotiating mandate and strike a deal with the European Parliament.

EU lawmakers set to define position on forced labour products ban

Silvia Ellena — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 07:15:19 +0000

As members of the European Parliament prepare to vote on their position on the proposed EU law to ban products made with forced labour from the EU market, they reiterated their call on member states to accelerate their negotiations.

Déjà vu: Financial sector and corporate sustainability due diligence, in or out?

Richard Gardiner — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 05:05:14 +0000

The EU should include financial markets in the scope of its Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) to help reorientate capital markets towards more sustainable investments while making European financial markets more consistent and reliable, argues Richard Gardiner.

Flexing the trade muscles

János Allenbach-Ammann — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 05:05:19 +0000

Welcome to EURACTIV’s weekly Economy Brief. You can subscribe to the newsletter here. The EU is showing off its muscles by developing trade defence tools and ramping up its investigations and risk assessments. But whether those muscles are good for...

EU ‘united’ against economic blackmail – despite facing claims of hypocrisy

Jonathan Packroff — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 13:13:01 +0000

With an overwhelming majority, the European Parliament has adopted a new instrument to fight economic blackmail. At the same time, however, the EU itself is facing accusations of coercion with its environmental rules.

Former prime ministers, officials call for “gradual” EU federalism

János Allenbach-Ammann — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 08:55:34 +0000

32 former high-level politicians and EU officials published a manifesto, calling for a central fiscal capacity for the EU, a shift to a new EU business model as well as institutional reforms.

Stricter EU controls on critical technologies possible from spring 2024

János Allenbach-Ammann — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 16:36:46 +0000

The European Commission on Tuesday (3 October) announced that it would start collective risk assessments together with member states on four technology areas, which could lead to restrictive measures like export controls or development support for these technologies by spring 2024.

Piling up of unresolved disputes highlights WTO crisis

Georgi Gotev — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 05:23:49 +0000

Nothing illustrates the crisis at the World Trade Organization more than the piling up of unresolved disputes and the growing list of what it terms the "trade concerns" of its members.

Europe’s solar industry warns against tariffs on imports

admin — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 04:59:26 +0000

Europe's solar power industry has warned policymakers not to impose tariffs on imports, amid fears that disrupting supplies of products from China would seriously damage Europe's ability to rapidly install clean energy.

Europe’s carbon border tariff starts applying, causing jitters for trade

Annita Elissaiou — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 05:00:09 +0000

The first phase of the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) kicks in on Sunday (1 October), obliging exporters in six carbon-intensive industrial sectors to report their emissions to EU authorities.

Europe’s Green Industrial Policy: ‘Superior’ through carbon prices?

Jonathan Packroff — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 06:05:18 +0000

Welcome to EURACTIV’s weekly Economy Brief. You can subscribe to the newsletter here. Economists see the European approach to building climate-friendly industries as “superior” to the US subsidy spree. But politicians have other priorities – and are starting to grumble....

Biden to host EU chiefs as steel deadline looms

Georgi Gotev — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 04:42:12 +0000

US President Joe Biden will host European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel on 20 October, just before a deadline to resolve a bilateral dispute over steel tariffs.

‘Get moving or you’ll miss the boat,’ Australian resources minister tells EU

János Allenbach-Ammann — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 06:24:44 +0000

the Australian Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Madeleine King argued for more European investments into the Australian critical minerals sector, criticising the EU's insistence on banning dual pricing in the free trade negotiations between the EU and Australia.

Macron unveils €100/month leasing scheme for EU-made electric cars

Théo Bourgery-Gonse — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 11:33:54 +0000

A €100/month electric vehicle (EV) leasing scheme is to be introduced in France from November as part of the country’s climate action strategy, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday (25 September), though only EU-made cars will be eligible.

Experts concerned over EU due diligence law’s impact on Global South

Silvia Ellena — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 13:59:51 +0000

Experts have welcomed the proposed EU law to hold companies accountable for adverse impacts along their entire value chain, but have also raised concerns about the negative impacts the new due diligence rules could have on economies of the Global South.

EU businesses ‘questioning their position’ in China: trade commissioner

admin — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 04:30:18 +0000

European businesses in China are increasingly questioning their positions in the face of tough new security laws and a politicisation of trade, an EU commissioner warned in Beijing on Monday (25 September).

FDI screening: Lack of harmonisation risks ‘months’ of investment delays

Théo Bourgery-Gonse — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 04:50:03 +0000

France’s expansion of the scope of foreign direct investment (FDI) controls to the mining sector sheds a renewed light on the lack of EU harmonisation on investment screening, risks of arbitrage, and delays to investments, experts have warned.

France rolls out new cash incentives for electric cars, takes aim at China

Théo Bourgery-Gonse — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 09:49:39 +0000

New cash incentives, dubbed a ‘green bonus’ and targeted towards electric vehicles (EVs) buyers, will be rolled out as of January 2024, aiming to support French and European carmaking industries and divert from Chinese cars, the government announced on Monday.

EU unafraid of trade war with China

admin — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 06:15:08 +0000

The EU insisted on Friday (15 September) that its economy could survive any retaliation from China, after Beijing warned that Brussels' probe into Chinese electric car subsidies would harm trade relations.

How will the EU’s investigation into Chinese electric vehicle subsidies work?

János Allenbach-Ammann, Sean Goulding Carroll — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 14:27:19 +0000

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday (13 September) announced an investigation into Chinese subsidies for electrical vehicles (EVs), a move that could lead to countervailing duties on EVs from China within nine months.

EU countries still divided over proposed corporate accountability rules

Silvia Ellena — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 05:29:00 +0000

Several EU member states have yet to decide on their position on some key aspects of the EU's draft law to hold companies accountable for human rights and environmental violations throughout their value chain, slowing down the ongoing negotiations on the file.

Australia, EU resume talks on free trade deal

admin — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 06:20:28 +0000

Australia and the European Union will resume free trade talks on Thursday (31 August) with a teleconference between Australia's Trade Minister Don Farrell and EU Commissioner for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis, a month after the two sides failed to reach a deal.

EU, US green steel showdown: How to decarbonise trade

János Allenbach-Ammann — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 05:01:26 +0000

As the EU and the US hurry to agree on green steel before the end of October to prevent tariffs from snapping back into place, their diverging positions lay bare different philosophies on how global trade should be reorganised to account for climate priorities.

EU due diligence proposal raises hope for activists, worries foreign companies

Silvia Ellena — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 05:18:39 +0000

While civil society organisations look at the proposed EU due diligence rules with optimism for local communities abroad, foreign companies voice concerns over the lack of harmonisation of the draft rules as well as their extraterritorial dimension.

Eyeing China, France mulls foreign investment screenings in raw materials sector

Théo Bourgery-Gonse — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 13:22:25 +0000

The breadth of foreign investments control in France will be broadened to critical raw materials’ extraction and transformation, Economy minister Bruno Le Maire announced on Thursday (24 August), in a thinly-veiled stab at China’s near-monopoly in the sector.

New EU carbon tariff: German industry slams bureaucratic burden

Nikolaus J. Kurmayer — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 05:30:29 +0000

Germany’s chemical and car industries are protesting the anticipated bureaucratic strain expected from the phase-in of the EU’s novel carbon border tariff (CBAM), while consultancy Deloitte finds that companies have failed to sufficiently prepare.

EU starts probe on Indonesian biodiesel avoiding import duties

Georgi Gotev — Sat, 19 Aug 2023 03:42:09 +0000

The European Union said on Thursday (18 August) it had launched an investigation into whether biodiesel from Indonesia was circumventing EU duties by going through China and Britain.

Lower energy prices boost EU trade balance

Oliver Noyan, Théo Bourgery-Gonse — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 12:15:27 +0000

After a slow 2022, Germany, Italy and France are starting to see a major boost to their trade balance as energy prices are going down and imports from China dwindle.

French trade balance deficit sees €35bn improvement

Théo Bourgery-Gonse — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 09:26:49 +0000

The French current account deficit shrank by €29.7 billion in the past six months, from -€39.3 billion to -€9.6 billion, primarily due to a fall in energy prices, which have made goods importations cheaper.

EU’s hopes to make trade more sustainable, diversified before 2024

János Allenbach-Ammann, Silvia Ellena — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 06:00:35 +0000

With the 2024 European elections and the reorganisation of European Commission jobs looming, Brussels must hurry to conclude crucial negotiations on sustainable and diversified EU trade by the end of 2023.

Niger coup: France’s Orano confirms nuclear uranium supplies not at risk

Théo Bourgery-Gonse — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 10:44:06 +0000

The general supply of uranium to France, a key raw material in nuclear fission, is not at risk, nuclear conglomerate Orano said, after Nigerien authorities announced they would freeze French exports.

EU, Philippines agree to relaunch free trade talks

EURACTIV.com with Reuters — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 14:19:43 +0000

The EU and the Philippines will restart negotiations on a free-trade agreement as they seek to accelerate "a new era of cooperation", European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday (31 July).

Germany launches its own green taxonomy for export credits

Jonathan Packroff — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 12:52:12 +0000

Germany wants to ramp up export credits for climate-friendly technologies while cutting back support for polluting ones, but without phasing out public funding for fossil fuels entirely, prompting criticism by environmentalists.

Portugal announces withdrawal from Energy Charter Treaty

Frédéric Simon — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 13:25:06 +0000

Portugal’s Environment Minister Duarte Cordeiro annouced this week that the country has started withdrawing from the Energy Charter Treaty, in line with a proposal tabled by the European Commission two weeks ago.

If Europe doesn’t invest, others will, Brazil’s Lula warns

Aurélie Pugnet — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 11:58:18 +0000

Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Wednesday (19 July) criticised the EU’s push to rework the Mercosur trade agreement as imposing double standards but remains optimistic that a deal could be sealed before the end of the year....

EU lawmakers seek more ambitious ban on forced labour products

Silvia Ellena — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 11:14:22 +0000

Members of the European Parliament are proposing to extend the scope of a draft EU regulation prohibiting forced labour products from the EU market to key services and to introduce remediation for victims, an approach criticised by conservative and right-wing political groups.

EU-Mercosur trade deal: Clashes over agriculture, sustainability persist

János Allenbach-Ammann — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 16:33:42 +0000

EU and South American leaders reiterated their ambition to finalise an agreement by the end of 2023, though sustainability and agricultural market access concerns continue to pose challenges.

EU-Morocco fisheries deal stuck pending court decision on self-determination claim

Paula Andrés — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 10:19:53 +0000

A millions-worth fisheries deal between the European Union and the Kingdom of Morocco expired due to a dispute over its legality and the inclusion of Western Sahara's representatives in the negotiations pending a decision from the EU’s highest court.

Germany wants to persuade France over merits of EU-Mercosur deal

Jonathan Packroff, Oliver Noyan — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 03:52:29 +0000

The German government wants to convince a hesitant France that the merits of the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement - currently being discussed at the EU-CELAC summit - are worthwhile, Franziska Brantner, the parliamentary state secretary in charge of trade at the Economy Ministry, told EURACTIV in an interview.

In a global resource struggle, is the EU ready to take Latin America, Caribbean seriously?

Maria Nyman, Nicolás Meyer — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 09:50:29 +0000

The EU-LAC summit should present a “new era of cooperation”, but for the partnership to be balanced, it must secure sufficient EU public financing, address material consumption in the EU, and support local economies and industrialisation in LAC, argues Maria...

Technological independence key focus in Germany’s China strategy

Théophane Hartmann — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 16:38:47 +0000

Germany's first-ever China strategy puts technology at the heart of its efforts to lessen dependence on Beijing in areas from raw materials supplies, critical infrastructure protection, and cybersecurity, to counter-espionage and fighting disinformation.

Not everybody can have all of the raw material supply chain

János Allenbach-Ammann — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 15:15:38 +0000

The EU's discussions with Australia over "double pricing" of raw materials during the negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) point to a conflict of goals in the EU's approach to ensuring its supply of critical raw materials.

Australia wants more from the EU in exchange for its minerals

János Allenbach-Ammann — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 13:27:24 +0000

Negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) between the EU and Australia are stalling as Australia wants to leverage its wealth in critical raw materials to get more access for its meat and sugar industry.

Negotiations on EU due diligence rules expected to pick up speed in September

Silvia Ellena — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 13:01:01 +0000

The negotiators of the European Parliament and member states agreed on some points about corporate accountability rules this week, and the Spanish EU Council Presidency is expected to push on the talks starting in September in order to strike a deal before the end of the current term.

New Zealand signs ‘ambitious’ trade deal with EU

admin — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 06:05:12 +0000

The European Union and New Zealand on Sunday (9 July) signed a free trade agreement which Brussels says can lift exchanges between the two by 30% with a decade.

Companies race to secure supplies after China restricts gallium, germanium exports

Georgi Gotev — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 05:45:25 +0000

Companies caught out by China's decision to restrict exports of two metals widely used in semiconductors and electric vehicles were racing to secure supplies on 4 July as some industry suppliers worried that curbs on rare earth exports could follow.

Mercosur summit opens as EU trade deal hangs in the balance

admin — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 04:40:11 +0000

The South American trade bloc Mercosur opens a two-day summit Monday (3 July) with a deal with the European Union on the agenda, but few expect leaders to reach consensus on how to fulfill EU demands on environmental protections.

EU ambassador regrets lack of progress with China on trade

admin — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 04:20:08 +0000

The European Union's ambassador to China expressed regret on Sunday (2 July) over the lack of "substantial progress" with Beijing on trade talks, as EU countries seek to reduce their economic dependence on the Asian giant.

EU leaders talk China de-risking, but will they start walking?

János Allenbach-Ammann — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 14:10:34 +0000

Welcome to EURACTIV’s weekly Economy Brief. You can subscribe to the newsletter here. As EU heads of state and government gather in Brussels on Thursday and Friday (29-30 June), relations with China will be an important part of the discussion,...