European Union trade policy [What Think Tanks are thinking]

Written by Marcin Grajewski

International trade is an area where the European Union has an unquestionable global clout. It is the world’s biggest trading bloc while trade policy is an exclusive power of the EU.

The EU faces numerous challenges in the trade area, notably talks on the Transatlantic Trade Investment Partnership (TTIP), an agreement with the United States, the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA), an accord currently being negotiated by 24 members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and, in general reviving the Doha Round of world trade negotiations.

On 8 July, the European Parliament approved its recommendations on TTIP to EU trade negotiators.

This note offers links to recent studies and reports from major international think tanks on EU trade policies, divided into a section devoted to TTIP, the most pending current trade issue and other trade matters.

General trade topics

New Zealand: The EU’s Asia-Pacific Partnership and the case for a next generation FTA

European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE), July 2015

Enhancing the prospects of the EU’s deep and comprehensive free trade areas in the Mediterranean: Lessons from the Eastern Partnership  Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), June 2015

The EU’s strategic partnership agreements: balancing geo-economics and geopolitics  Egmont, June 2015

The EU and China in the WTO: what contribution to the international rule of law? Reflections in light of the raw materials and rare earths disputes  Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies, May 2015

Whither the World Trade Organisation? Perspective of key WTO ambassadors on current challenges in global trade talks European Centre for International Political Economy, April 2015

Trade and geopolitics: Should the EU engage with the Eurasian Economic Union?

European Policy Centre (EPC), April 2015

Bridging Asia and Europe through maritime connectivity   European Institute for Asian Studies, April 2015

“Essential elements” clauses in EU trade agreements making trade work in a way that helps human rights? Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies, April 2015

Cross-Strait Relations and Trade Diplomacy in East Asia  Clingendael, March 2015

Seal the deal or lose Brazil: Implications of the EU-Mercosur negotiations

Finnish Institute of International Affairs, March 2015

Positioning on the global value chain map: where do you want to be?

European Centre for International Political Economy, February 2016

The Obama trade agenda: Five things for progressives to like  Progressive Policy Institute, February 2015

Tariff rate quotas – Free trade or non-tariff barriers?

Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, February 2015

Leader or laggard? Political determinants of the EU’s compliance with WTO dispute settlement rulings  Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies, January 2015

The scope of services chapters and regulatory autonomy constraints from unconditional obligations in selected EU RTAs  Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies, January 2015

Lectura de la política comercial de la UE desde una perspectiva multilateral

Barcelona Centre for International Affairs, December 2014

El Acuerdo de Libre comercio entre el MERCOSUR y la Unión Europea – Antecedentes y perspectivas  Consejo Uruguayo para las Relaciones Internacionales, December 2014

Trade diplomacy in EU-Asia relations: Time for a rethink  Clingendael, September 2014

TTIP

Gains from harmonizing US and EU auto regulations under the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership  Peterson Institute for International Economics, June 2015

This time it’s different: Turbo-charging regulatory cooperation in TTIP

Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), June 2015

US-EU trade negotiations: A race to the top  Brookings Institution, June 2015

The geopolitical impact of TTIP: A Transatlantic fortress or an open platform?

Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), May 2015

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership: The services dimension  CEPS, May 2015

Transatlantic market integration, business and regulation: Building on the WTO

Swedish Institute for European Policy Studies, May 2015

Transatlantic investment treaty protection CEPS, Center for Transatlantic Relations, March 2015

Transatlantic MRAs: Lessons for TTIP? CEPS, March 2015

Affranchir l’Europe du TTIP et du dollar Madariaga – College of Europe, March 2015

Tutti i complottismi sul TTIP Istituto Bruno Leoni, March 2015

TTIP and EU Turkish economic relations: Deepening the Customs Union  IAI, March 2015

TTIP investor rights: The many voices ignored by the Commission Corporate Europe Observatory, February 2015

Public procurement in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations

CEPS, February 2015

Risks and opportunities for consumer welfare arising from the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)  Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, February 2015

“ISDS” in the TTIP: The devil is in the details  Notre Europe-Jacques Delors Institute, January 2015

TTIP- A power boost for big business  Luiss School of European Political Economy, January 2015

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership: An accident report

European Centre for International Political Economy, January 2015

Die Transatlantische Handels- und Investitionspartnerschaft (TTIP): Was sollte die Entwicklungspolitik tun?

Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik, January 2015