European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
international trade
The level playing-field for labour and environment in EU-UK relations
The level playing-field (LPF) provisions of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) between the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) constitute a key part of the agreement, and became a major source of divergence between the negotiators. Continue reading
The EU strategic autonomy debate [What Think Tanks are thinking]
An increasing number of politicians and analysts argue that the European Union should boost its ‘strategic autonomy’ and/or develop a higher degree of ‘European sovereignty’. Continue reading
EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement: An analytical overview
On 30 December 2020, the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) signed a Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), concluding nearly ten months of negotiations. Continue reading
Plenary round-up – January 2021
The main debates of the January 2021 plenary session were on the inauguration of the new President of the United States, and the presentation of the Portuguese EU Council Presidency. Continue reading
Brexit: The EU-UK trade deal [What Think Tanks are thinking]
The European Union and the United Kingdom reached a last-minute deal on trade and other issues on 24 December 2020, thereby avoiding major disruption from 1 January 2021, the date on which the transition period ended. Continue reading
UK trade agreements with third countries: Implications for the EU
The United Kingdom (UK) left the European Union (EU) on 1 February 2020 and will regain competence for its own international trade policy as soon as the transition period concludes at the end of 2020. Continue reading
China’s economic recovery and dual circulation model
After a delayed response to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in late 2019, China has expanded its sophisticated digital surveillance systems to the health sector, linking security and health. Continue reading
Slowing down or changing track? Understanding the dynamics of ‘Slowbalisation’
The period from the fall of the Berlin Wall to the global financial crisis of 2007 marked an era of fast-growing interdependence between different economies and cultures, brought about by cross-border movements of people, goods, services, capital and data. Continue reading
UK Internal Market Bill and the Withdrawal Agreement
On 9 September 2020, the United Kingdom (UK) government tabled a bill in the House of Commons which would govern the country’s internal market after the Brexit transition period ends. Continue reading
Trade negotiations between the EU and ASEAN member states
In 2017, the European Union–Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) dialogue partnership celebrated its 40th anniversary. Continue reading
Modernisation of the trade pillar of the EU-Mexico Global Agreement [International Agreements in Progress]
Written by Gisela Grieger, On 21 April 2018, the EU and Mexico reached an agreement in principle on a modernised trade pillar of the EU-Mexico Economic Partnership, Political Coordination and Cooperation Agreement, also known as the Global Agreement, in force since 2000. On 28 April 2020, negotiations were formally concluded after the only outstanding item … Continue reading
EU–China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment: Levelling the playing field with China [International Agreements in Progress][Policy Podcast]
Lack of reciprocity in access to the Chinese market and the absence of a level playing field for EU investors in China have posed major challenges for EU-China investment relations in recent years, with the negotiation of a comprehensive agreement on investment (CAI) being considered by the EU a key instrument to remedy this state of play. Continue reading
Review of EU Enforcement Regulation for trade disputes [EU Legislation in Progress]
On 12 December 2019, the European Commission adopted a proposal to amend Regulation (EU) No 654/2014 concerning the exercise of the EU’s rights for the application and enforcement of international trade rules (‘the Enforcement Regulation’) of 15 May 2014. Continue reading
Three critical issues in EU-UK relations
Following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) on 1 February 2020, the EU and the UK launched negotiations on a new partnership agreement, to come into effect at the end of the transition period, scheduled for 31 December 2020. Continue reading
New STOA study on blockchain for supply chains and international trade
Blockchains combine several techniques – including encryption, consensus methods and distributed storage – to record transactions. Continue reading
Food trade and food security in the coronavirus pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has not only created a global public health crisis, but it has had a significant effect on the global economy and international trade. Continue reading
EU export authorisation scheme for personal protection equipment
In the midst of the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the European Commission issued an implementing regulation requiring authorisations for exports of personal protection equipment (PPE), effective as of 15 March 2020 for a six-week period. Continue reading
Coronavirus and the trade in wildlife
Nearly three quarters of emerging infectious diseases in humans are caused by zoonotic pathogens. The majority of them originate in wildlife. Human activities, such as trade in wildlife, increase opportunities for animal–human interactions and facilitate zoonotic disease transmission. Continue reading
EU international procurement instrument [EU Legislation in Progress]
The EU has opened up its public procurement markets to third countries to a large degree, yet many of these countries have not granted the EU comparable access. Continue reading
EU imports and exports of medical equipment [Policy Podcast]
The crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic has, with tragic consequences, brought to the fore the fact that the European Union (EU) is dependent on non-EU sources for medical equipment such as personal protection equipment (including masks) and artificial respiratory equipment, as well as other products needed in the fight against the virus. Continue reading
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