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EU-China BIT: schedules annex (Mar 2021)
12-Mar-2021 European Commission
Here’s how EU could take brexit legal action against the UK
12-Mar-2021 Bloomberg
The European Commission is preparing to take legal action against the British government in coming days over its failure to keep promises it made in the Brexit deal to keep the island of Ireland free of border checkpoints.
Shell’s legal weapon to threaten a just energy future
11-Mar-2021 Future Beyond Shell
To realise a future beyond fossil fuels, it is imperative to look at how to disentangle the legal shackles that enable companies to frustrate climate policy and shift the burden of their stranded assets onto the shoulders of taxpayers through arbitration claims.
Hong Kong activists urge EU not to ratify new deal with China
11-Mar-2021 The Guardian
Hong Kong democracy activists have warned the EU it must not ratify its planned new investment deal with China at a time when Beijing is tearing up international obligations to the people of Hong Kong.
The EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment: Stuck half-way?
10-Mar-2021 CCSI
The China-EU comprehensive investment agreement (CAI) addresses important issues of market access, regulatory cooperation and sustainable development, but does not include sections on investment protection and ISDS.
Austria reaffirms its veto of the trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur
8-Mar-2021 Inspired Traveler
Austria reaffirmed its veto of the trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur, and asked Portugal to avoid any “possible attempt” to the pact enters into force in its current form.
EU lawmakers stall vote to ratify EU-UK trade deal in protest
5-Mar-2021 Reuters
The European Parliament abandoned its plan to set a date for voting on the EU-UK trade deal, in protest at what the European Union sees as Britain’s unlawful changes to Northern Irish Brexit arrangements.
Political commitments not enough to ratify EU-Mercosur deal, says French minister
4-Mar-2021 Euractiv
Mere “political commitments” will not be enough to ratify the agreement between the European Union and Mercosur countries, a French cabinet minister said.
EU vows legal response as UK moves unilaterally on Northern Ireland
4-Mar-2021 Reuters
The European Union promised legal action after the British government unilaterally extended a grace period for checks on food imports to Northern Ireland, a move Brussels said violated terms of Britain’s divorce deal.
A Canadian view on Ceta trade deal
4-Mar-2021 The Irish Times
Ireland should do the right thing for both Irish and Canadians and reject this trade agreement.
Green party TD: Legal opinion that Ceta deal is unconstitutional
3-Mar-2021 Irish Examiner
Dublin South Central representative Patrick Costello lodged the proceedings over whether a referendum would be needed on the controversial trade deal.
EAC secures unlimited access to Kenya-UK trade deal
2-Mar-2021 The East African
East African Community (EAC) member states have secured an open-ended time frame to access the trade agreement signed between Kenya and the United Kingdom.
China-EU agreement on geographical indications takes effect
1-Mar-2021 Xinhua
GI is a label used for identifying the geographical origin of a product, and is an important type of intellectual property right.
Western Sahara returns to European Court of Justice
1-Mar-2021 France 24
The European Court of Justice is next week to discuss EU-Morocco accords allowing Rabat to export goods from Western Sahara that are contested by the pro-independence Polisario Front.
China plans mega transport network to boost trade, economic growth
26-Feb-2021 Global Times
China’s plan to build a global rapid logistics circle for goods by 2035, which will likely boost China’s trade with major economies in the EU and Asia.
Take action to end the climate-killing Energy Charter Treaty
23-Feb-2021 CEO
Sign the petition to pull out of the Energy Charter Treaty and stop its expansion to other countries!
How Energy Treaty ’shadow’ courts prolong EU’s fossil age
23-Feb-2021 EU Observer
The treaty enables companies to claim billions in compensation from states in front of international arbitration tribunals, if they feel unfairly treated by the states’ energy or climate policies.
Are the sustainability criteria in the Swiss trade deal with Indonesia toothless?
23-Feb-2021 Swiss Info
A free trade agreement with Indonesia has sparked backlash and Switzerland’s first national referendum on palm oil imports. On the eve of the vote to take place March 7, SWI swissinfo.ch fact checks claims on sustainability.
Two steps forward, one step back for Vietnam’s labor rights
22-Feb-2021 DW
Several EU statements still refer to EVFTA as helping to create "trade unions" in Vietnam, but WROs are different in many ways. They are only allowed to collectively bargain and organize strikes at the individual enterprise level, meaning they are restricted to individual companies.
EU farmers call for coherence amid Mercosur deal and climate action
22-Feb-2021 AgriLand
An EU-Mercosur deal would be potentially detrimental to European farmers’ stability, EU farm organisation CEJA has warned.