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Thai CSOs warn the senate’s subcommittee about the ongoing FTA negotiation with the EU on TRIPs-plus provisions harmful to access to medicines
10-Jan-2025 Access to Medicines
FTA Watch representatives warned that stricter IP rules in a potential EU FTA could impact access to medicines, increase healthcare costs, and harm Thailand’s domestic pharmaceutical industry. They also highlighted concerns about EU demands regarding government procurement, plant variety protection (UPOV 1991), and import of remanufactured goods.
Tractors head towards Paris in protest against the EU-Mercosur deal
7-Jan-2025 Euronews
One of France’s largest farmers’ unions is seeking guarantees from the prime minister’s office that it will defend a form of agriculture focused on protecting small farmers, who say are being crushed by free trade.
Indonesia-EU trade pact deadline pushed to first half of 2025
7-Jan-2025 Jakarta Globe
Indonesia has delayed the completion of its trade agreement with the European Union (EU), now aiming to conclude negotiations by mid-2025. While 85% of the agreement is reportedly finalized, disagreements on export/import restrictions and investment conditions remain. The EU’s concerns about Indonesian palm oil production, particularly related to deforestation, have also been a point of contention.
The EU’s lust for Indonesia’s nickel supply
7-Jan-2025 EU Observer
The EU desires open access to Indonesian nickel, crucial for its green transition, yet criticizes extractive practices in the Global South. Indonesia, however, seeks to develop its own processing industries and restrict raw material exports.
Lithuania is against EU-Mercosur trade deal, says minister
2-Jan-2025 LRT
Lithuania should not back the ratification of the free trade agreement between the European Union and the South American Mercosur bloc, Agriculture Minister Ignas Hofmanas has said.
The Mercosur trade deal risks derailing the EU’s plan to protect the world’s forests
23-Dec-2024 Client Earth
The EU-Mercosur trade deal does not only contradicts the EU’s flagship legislation against global deforestation but will potentially force the European Commission and EU Member States into legal and political disputes over its implementation.
EU, Switzerland agree deal to strengthen trade ties
23-Dec-2024 Reuters
Switzerland and the European Union said they had reached a deal to strengthen their trade ties, overcoming Swiss concerns about immigration and opening the door for the biggest overhaul of bilateral relations in years.
The Commission decides to refer the United Kingdom to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failure to terminate its Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) with six EU Member States
18-Dec-2024 European Commission
The European Commission decided to refer the United Kingdom to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to terminate the Bilateral Investment Treaties that it still has in force with Bulgaria, Czechia, Croatia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovenia.
Commission must stop Energy Charter Treaty hijacking EU climate policy
18-Dec-2024 Euractiv
The Energy Charter Treaty allow fossil fuel investors to sue EU member states before international arbitral tribunals to challenge climate mitigation measures. This legal mechanism is increasingly weaponized by the industry.
JBS, the Brazilian meat giant set to benefit from EU-Mercosur trade deal
18-Dec-2024 Le Monde
The Brazilian multinational JBS, the world’s leading producer of animal proteins, is ready to use the trade agreement to increase its presence in Europe, which accounted for around 7% of its exports in 2024.
Spanish farmers protest EU-Mercosur deal
17-Dec-2024 Euractiv
Tens of thousands of Spanish farmers protested in Madrid, expressing their rejection of the EU-Mercosur trade agreement, which they say creates unfair competition between the two trading blocs.
EU deforestation law to be delayed as new threat emerges from EU-Mercosur trade deal
17-Dec-2024 Greenpeace
In the annex to the trade and sustainable development chapter of the EU-Mercosur agreement, several provisions entail fundamental changes in how the EUDR will work in practice.
Key insights into the final EU-Mercosur agreement
13-Dec-2024 Veblen
A preliminary analysis of these new texts indicates that the clauses added at the EU’s request are in no way sufficient to effectively prevent the anticipated health and environmental impacts arising from the implementation of the trade agreement.
The EU-Mercosur deal: The 5 things the EU Commission doesn’t want you to know
13-Dec-2024 The Left
This explainer cuts through the political rhetoric and takes a look at what the EU Commission doesn’t want you to know about the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement.
European Union and Switzerland "very close" to new trade deal, official says
13-Dec-2024 Reuters
The European Union and Switzerland are "very close" to finalising a new agreement to overhaul their trade relationship, a senior EU official said.
“Shocking and sad”: how corporations use investment agreements to block decarbonisation in the Global South
12-Dec-2024 Land and Climate Review
Experts talk about investor-state dispute settlements, which allow fossil fuel companies to bring multi-billion dollar lawsuits against countries that pass green policies.
EU-Mercosur FTA text (Dec 2024)
12-Dec-2024 European Commission
Here’s what’s new in the EU-Mercosur trade deal
11-Dec-2024 Politico
Key elements include a “rebalancing mechanism” to be deployed in disputes where policy impinges on trade, along with a provision that would allow the trade deal to be suspended if one party is found to have violated the Paris climate accord.
UK and EU to begin formal talks on resetting ties next year
10-Dec-2024 Bloomberg
The UK and European Union will begin formal talks on a reset of their relationship next year, as Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said she wanted to deepen economic ties with the bloc.
‘White gold’ seen as pivotal to Europe’s massive trade deal with South America
10-Dec-2024 CNBC
The strategic importance of lithium is likely to have played a major role in the European Union’s blockbuster deal with Brazil, Argentina and three other South American countries, analysts say.