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Guides on the EU Trade policy.
EU action against gun violence - Communication by EUbusiness — last modified 21 October 2013, 18:11 CET
The European Commission has presented suggestions on how to reduce gun related violence in Europe. It identifies actions at EU level, through legislation, operational activities, training and EU funding, to address the threats posed by the illegal use of firearms. The ideas address weaknesses in the EU across the whole lifecycle of weapons, including production, sale, possession, trade, storage and deactivation, while respecting strong traditions of lawful gun use, such as sports shooting and hunting for example.
EU-Canada Free Trade deal by EUbusiness — last modified 18 October 2013, 15:47 CET
The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada is expected to generate substantial new trade in goods and services as well as additional opportunities for investment. The new market access provided by the agreement will further improve the position of EU exporters and investors on the Canadian market. Once implemented, the agreement should increase bilateral trade in goods and services by 22.9% or EUR 25.7 billion, fostering growth and employment on both sides of the Atlantic. Overall, the EU-Canada agreement could lead to GDP gains for the EU of up to EUR 11.6 billion per year.
Customs action to tackle IPR infringing goods by EUbusiness — last modified 05 August 2013, 18:49 CET
EU Customs detained almost 40 million products suspected of violating intellectual property rights (IPR) in 2012, according to the Commission's annual report on customs actions to enforce IPR. Although this is less than the 2011 figure, the value of the intercepted goods is still high, at nearly €1 billion. Today’s report also gives statistics on the type, provenance and transport method of counterfeit products detained at the EU's external borders. Cigarettes accounted for a large number of interceptions (31%), miscellaneous goods (e.g. bottles, lamps, glue, batteries, washing powder) were the next largest category (12%), followed by packaging materials (10%). Postal and courier packages accounted for around 70% of customs interventions in 2012, with 23% of the detentions in postal traffic concerning medicines.
Anti-dumping tariffs on Chinese solar panels by EUbusiness — last modified 04 June 2013, 17:36 CET
The European Commission has decided to impose provisional anti-dumping duties on imports of solar panels, cells and wafers from China.
Negotiations for an investment agreement with China by EUbusiness — last modified 23 May 2013, 13:41 CET
The European Commission decided today to ask the EU Member States for their agreement on a mandate to open negotiations on an investment agreement with China. This is the first ever proposal for a stand-alone investment agreement since foreign direct investment became the exclusive competence of the EU under the Lisbon Treaty.
Consumer safety: RAPEX in 2012 by EUbusiness — last modified 16 May 2013, 15:22 CET
In 2012, a total of 2,278 measures against dangerous non-food products, were taken by EU Member States and reported in the EU Rapid Information system (RAPEX). This indicates a 26% rise in alerts when compared to 2011 figures, an increase that could be attributed to the improved enforcement work carried out by the authorities in EU countries. RAPEX is the EU rapid alert system between Member States and the Commission on non-food products. Its role is to disseminate information quickly on potentially dangerous consumer products. This allows for earlier identification and earlier removal from EU markets of products that could pose a risk to consumers, such as children's clothing, textiles and electrical appliances which do not meet safety standards.
Modernisation of EU Trade Defence Instruments by EUbusiness — last modified 10 April 2013, 14:04 CET
The European Commission has made a proposal to adapt the EU's rulebook to tackle unfair competition from dumped and subsidised imports to the contemporary challenges facing the EU's economy. The Commission says the proposed changes would make the EU trade defence work better for all stakeholders, including both EU producers and importers. Anti-dumping and anti-subsidy instruments will be more efficient and better enforced to shield EU producers from unfair practices of foreign firms and from any risk of retaliation. At the same time, importers will enjoy greater predictability in terms of changing duty rates, which will make their business planning easier. The entire system will become more transparent and user-friendly.
EU's free trade agreements - state of play by EUbusiness — last modified 25 March 2013, 14:05 CET
Over the next two years, 90% of world demand will be generated outside the EU. That is why the EU sees it as a key priority to open up more market opportunities for European business by negotiating new Free Trade Agreements with key countries. If we were to complete all our current free trade talks tomorrow, we would add 2.2% to the EU's GDP or €275 billion. This is equivalent to adding a country as big as Austria or Denmark to the EU economy. In terms of employment, these agreements could generate 2.2 million new jobs or additional 1% of the EU total workforce. Below is an overview of the most important forthcoming and on-going free trade negotiations.
Fight against protectionism - Trade and Investment Barriers Report 2013 by EUbusiness — last modified 14 March 2013, 13:43 CET
The European Commission on 14 March reports some success in its strategy to fight global trade barriers. Efforts to fight protectionism over the last year, it says, are bearing fruit and could create better trade and investment conditions for EU companies. Yet the struggle against protectionism continues. The resistance of Europe's strategic partners to the plea for open markets comes into the limelight in the Commission's third annual Trade and Investment Barriers Report published today. In particular, China, India, Mercosur and Russia do not escape criticism.
China's anti-dumping duties on X-ray security scanners - WTO case by EUbusiness — last modified 26 February 2013, 19:09 CET
A World Trade Organization panel report (DS425) found that China's anti-dumping duties on imports of X-ray security scanners from the EU were in breach of WTO anti-dumping rules. The report marks a clear victory for the EU. If the report is not appealed within 60 days, China will be expected to remove its anti-dumping duties on EU imports of X-ray security scanners.
Key elements of the EU-Singapore trade and investment agreements by EUbusiness — last modified 21 November 2019, 16:47 CET
On 18 April 2018, the European Commission presented to the Council the EU-Singapore Trade Agreement and the EU-Singapore Investment Protection Agreement. The EU-Singapore trade and investment agreements takes EU and Singapore relations to a new level and creates more opportunities for EU and Singaporean businesses to grow and create new jobs. The negotiation of the trade and investment agreements was done in parallel to the negotiation of a soon-to-be-signed Partnership and Cooperation Agreement. Once in force, the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement will provide the legal framework to further develop the strong and longstanding partnership between the EU and Singapore.
Reform of the EU Generalised Scheme of Preferences by EUbusiness — last modified 31 October 2012, 23:44 CET
The EU has issued a revised import preference scheme - known as the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) - for developing countries most in need which will take effect from 1 January 2014. Following agreement with the Council and European Parliament, today's publication contains the specific tariff preferences granted under the GSP in the form of reduced or zero tariff rates and the final criteria for which developing countries will benefit. The new scheme will be focused on fewer beneficiaries (89 countries) to ensure more impact on countries most in need. At the same time, more support is to be provided to countries which the EU sees as serious about implementing international human rights, labour rights and environment and good governance conventions.
2011 report on European Globalisation Adjustment Fund by EUbusiness — last modified 05 September 2012, 18:37 CET
More than 21,000 workers dismissed due to the economic crisis and the effects of globalisation were helped to find new job opportunities by the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) in 2011, according to a report adopted on 4 September by the European Commission. The EU's Globalisation Fund paid out a total of €128 million in 2011 to assist these workers in twelve Member States (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland and Portugal).
Customs action to tackle fakes - guide by EUbusiness — last modified 25 July 2012, 12:53 CET
In 2011, EU Customs detained almost 115 million products suspected of violating intellectual property rights (IPR) compared to 103 million in 2010. The number of intercepted cases increased by 15% compared to 2010. The value of the intercepted goods represented nearly €1.3 billion compared to €1.1 billion in 2010, according to the Commission's annual report on customs actions to enforce IPR. Today’s report also gives statistics on the type, origin and transport method of IPR infringing products detained at the EU's external borders. The top categories of articles stopped by customs were medicines (24%), packaging material (21%) and cigarettes (18%). Products for daily use and products that could be potentially dangerous to the health and safety of consumers accounted for a total of 28.6% of the total amount of detained articles, compared to 14.5% in 2010. The increase in number of detained postal packages continued in 2011, with 36% of the detentions concerning medicines.
External public procurement initiative - guide by EUbusiness — last modified 21 March 2012, 15:51 CET
The European Commission is proposing to improve business opportunities for EU firms in procurement markets. The main objective of the initiative is to help open worldwide public procurement markets and to ensure European businesses have fair access to them. The proposal also aims to ensure that all companies (both European and non-European firms) are on an equal footing when it comes to competing for business in the EU's lucrative public procurement market.
EU WTO challenge to China's export restrictions on rare earths - guide by EUbusiness — last modified 13 March 2012, 22:00 CET
The European Union has launched a second challenge of China's export restrictions on raw materials including 17 rare earths, as well as tungsten and molybdenum. Together with the US and Japan, the EU formally requested dispute settlement consultations with China in the World Trade Organisation (WTO). This follows a successful EU challenge at the WTO on similar restrictions for other raw materials earlier this year.
Anti-dumping: What is Zeroing? - guide by EUbusiness — last modified 06 February 2012, 21:16 CET
In 2004 and 2007, the EU launched WTO disputes against the US for the use of a methodology called "zeroing" in the calculation of anti-dumping duty rates. The EU's initiative was followed by a number of countries including Brazil, China, Ecuador, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Thailand and Vietnam who lodged similar cases. The WTO Appellate Body has consistently condemned the practice of zeroing over the past decade as unfair. The US now finally committed itself to comply with the main elements of the WTO ruling, by removing zeroing in all ongoing and future cases.
WTO Case on export restrictions of raw materials in China - guide by EUbusiness — last modified 31 January 2012, 23:19 CET
The Appellate Body of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on 30 January confirmed the findings made by a Panel in July 2011 that China's export restrictions on several industrial raw materials are in breach of WTO rules. The WTO found that China's export restrictions are not justified for reasons of environmental protection or conservation policy. Today's final ruling was welcomed by Europe's trade chief.
Small Business, Big World - new partnership to help SMEs seize global opportunities by EUbusiness — last modified 09 November 2011, 18:34 CET
European small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) should better profit from fast growing emerging markets, such as in China, India, Russia or in regions like South East Asia and Latin America. This is the key issue to overcome the crisis addressed in the European Commission communication ‘Small Business, Big World - a new partnership to help SMEs seize global opportunities’ presented today. The priority for Europe now is to overcome the crisis boosting competitiveness and growth. Major markets such as China, India, Russia and Brazil, with strong growth rates and potential represent significant opportunities for EU companies. Exports outside the EU to expanding markets could trigger new dynamism for European economy. Internationalisation is the step SMEs need to take and to seize these opportunities.
"Agenda for Change" in EU development policy and EU budget support - guide by EUbusiness — last modified 13 October 2011, 15:56 CET
The EU will re-prioritise its delivery of aid to developing countries to ensure maximum impact on poverty reduction. EU Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs has presented the 'Agenda for Change' of EU Development policy and a new policy for EU budget support. These communications set out a more strategic EU approach to reducing poverty, including through a more targeted allocation of funding. Future EU spending should concentrate on sectors which are key for long-term and inclusive growth, target countries that are in the greatest need of external support and where aid can make a difference.