Talk of an EU–Africa partnership may have only emerged in the last two years, but the promise of better trade and political relations with its southern ‘sister continent’ came from Jean Claude Juncker, who set out plans for a continent–to–continent …
In June 2018, the European Commission unveiled its much-awaited plans for the post-2020 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). In light of the Brexit and the emergence of new priorities such as security and immigration, the Commission proposed a 5% cut in CAP …
In the wake of the global economic crisis and the deadlocked Doha round of international trade talks, the EU and the United States started negotiating a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, which seeks to go beyond traditional trade deals and create a genuine transatlantic single market. But the road ahead is paved with hurdles.
The EU is promoting the use of public procurement in its member states as a means of kick-starting the market for eco-innovative goods and services and achieving its environmental goals in a cost-efficient manner.
After a six-month total break-down in WTO negotiations on freeing up global trade, world leaders agreed, in January 2007, to revive the talks, but hopes to clinch a deal ahead of crucial US elections - are waning as hardliners refuse to soften their stance. Some fear talks may collapse completely if a breakthrough is not achieved by then.
With the onward march of globalisation, companies are often faced with a bewildering range of standards to which their products must conform. A preferable option is adherence to a consistent set of standards, even if they are the most exacting. Trade associations increasingly seek to follow this trend by becoming relevant actors in global-policy definition.
After six years of troubled negotiations, the Doha Development Round, aimed at freeing global trade and at extending the benefits of globalisation to developing countries, has yet to come to a successful conclusion.
Sustainable trade implies a trading system that does not harm the environment or deteriorate social conditions while promoting economical growth.
The issue of organised crime has, since the 2004 Madrid bombings and the 2005 London attacks, taken a back seat to the overriding priority of the fight against terrorism. However, drugs and human trafficking are still policy priorities.
The EU is seeking to improve the security of travel documents to fight against terrorism and illegal immigration. Proposals are being discussed to include biometric identifiers in documents for third country nationals (visa and residence permits) and EU citizens' passports.
The European Union is fully committed to the World Trade Organization (WTO) process for reducing trade-distorting agricultural subsidies and a progressive reform of agricultural policies. However, it also expects its WTO partners to take into account the European model of agriculture, which puts great emphasis on non-trade concerns, such as environmental protection, food security and rural development.
