|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
EU TRADE
The latest on EU trade
|
|
|
|
|
|
Follow us
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
News
|
|
|
|
EU and Republic of Angola launch negotiations for a first-ever Sustainable Investment Facilitation Agreement
|
|
The Commission has kicked off a first round of negotiations with the Republic of Angola for a Sustainable Investment Facilitation Agreement. The negotiations took place via videoconference on 22 June 2021.
Executive Vice-President and Commissioner for Trade, Valdis Dombrovskis, said: “Launching negotiations with Angola shows that we are deepening our engagement with African countries – a key pledge of the new EU trade strategy launched in February 2021. Africa is our nearest neighbour and we should develop our partnership of equals. This new form of investment agreement will promote sustainable and responsible investment, which will diversify and improve the resilience of our economies, and support our climate and energy transformations. I also welcome Angola’s interest in joining the Economic Partnership Agreement between the EU and the Southern African Development Community. Building closer ties between us will support our mutual stability and prosperity.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
EU and the Republic of Kenya launch strategic dialogue and engage towards implementing the East African Community Economic Partnership Agreement
|
|
The European Commission welcomes the launching of the Strategic Dialogue between the European Union and the Republic of Kenya, agreed on 21 June 2021, and the strengthening of the multilateral partnership between the EU and the East African Community (EAC) region. Both sides agreed to engage towards implementing bilaterally the trade and the economic and development cooperation provisions of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the East African Community.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
EU Trade Civil Society
|
|
|
|
CSD on the Review of the 15-Point Action Plan for Trade and Sustainable Development and on the Trade Policy Review actions on forced labour
|
|
In the Communication “Trade Policy Review – An Open, Sustainable and Assertive Trade Policy ”, published on 18 February 2021, the European Commission announced the early review of the 15-Point Action Plan for Trade and Sustainable Development. The Commission also committed to provide guidance to assist EU businesses on taking appropriate measures to address the risk of forced labour in their operations and supply chains, in line with international due diligence guidelines and principles.
The Communication also refers to the upcoming proposal on Sustainable Corporate Governance, which, subject to the impact assessment, will include effective action and enforcement mechanisms to ensure that forced labour does not find a place in the value chains of EU companies.
The Commission is organising a meeting with representatives from civil society to provide a state of play on the follow up to these commitments.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Civil Society Dialogue on the WTO Reform & Initiatives
|
|
The WTO is the centrepiece of the multilateral rules-based trading system. The Organization has brought stability and predictability to global trading conditions, and has been an engine of prosperity for many decades. However, today the WTO faces a deep crisis. Therefore, reforming the WTO is the top priority of European trade policy and the EU. A crucial milestone towards this reform, the WTO’s 12th Ministerial Conference (‘MC12’) is only 6 months away. Hence, this CSD meeting will focus on three key points. First, the Commission will inform civil society organisations on the EU objectives for MC12, in particular on fisheries subsidies and trade and health, and agriculture. Second, the Commission will present the state of play on the various plurilateral initiatives within the WTO including the Domestic Regulation Agreement, E-commerce and Services Regulation, and Investment Facilitation. Finally, the Commission will present its recent proposals on WTO reform. We look forward to hearing the participants’ views and expectations on these issues.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
EU-Japan online conference
|
|
|
|
Conference - Trade & Industry towards Carbon Neutrality
|
|
Japan and the EU share the objective of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. Both implement policies and support investments towards this goal, building the foundation for a sustainable green growth. Innovation in clean technologies and their successful commercialization are needed for modern and competitive economies.
The EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement signed in 2018 creates an open trade zone covering over 600 million people and a third of the global value of goods and services. This agreement reaffirms the shared commitment of the EU and Japan to sustainable development. As such, it can contribute to promoting trade and investment between Europe and Japan, in industrial solutions for a decarbonized society.
Businesses from both sides already work together in a number of sectors contributing to decarbonization, such as renewable energy, hydrogen or clean mobility. This cooperation can be expanded, to the benefit of an accelerated, cost-effective, large scale deployment of low-carbon industrial solutions in the EU, Japan and other regions. Register for this event at the link below.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
