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China-EU

Since 2012, China has been trying to get the European Union to agree to initiate bilateral free trade agreement talks. China is absent from both the transpacific (TPP) and the transatlantic (TTIP) trade deals and wants "in" on a similarly large pact itself in order to avoid losing out on trade flows or to have to follow new "global" standards set by others. European firms, for their part, want greater openings into China and a more even playing field with domestic companies, especially State-owned enterprises.

In March 2014, Brussels agreed that once an EU-China investment treaty is concluded it will consider broader trade talks with Beijing. The investment treaty negotiations began just a few months prior, in November 2013. Once finalised, this BIT willl replace the 26 existing BITs that China has signed over the years with individual EU member states.

The EU is China’s largest trading partner, while China is the EU’s second export market.

July 2014
Photo: European External Action Service - EEAS / CC BY-NC 2.0


China calls for opening free trade talks with the EU
Chinese foreign affairs minister Wang Yi called for the launch of free trade talks with the EU, in parallel with ongoing negotiations on an investment deal.
China, EU reach ’hallmark’ bilateral trade GI agreement: MOFCOM
This is the first comprehensive, high-level bilateral agreement China has ever signed with foreign businesses to protect geographic indication.
Europe ‘pushed off Beijing’s radar’ in China’s drive to seal US trade deal
China’s all-consuming focus on sealing a US trade deal forced its top trade negotiator to cancel a trip to Brussels, raising the risk of Europe being pushed “off a cliff”.
China’s top diplomat says ’confident’ of investment deal with EU
Leaders on both sides agreed that the negotiations will lead to decisive progress by the end of the year, allowing a high-quality agreement to be concluded in 2020.
China, EU on track for BIT by 2020
China and the EU are on track to reach a comprehensive bilateral investment treaty (BIT) by 2020, as the two sides are making "positive" progress and accelerating their negotiations, fueled by rising urgency created by the US’ trade protectionism against both Beijing and Brussels.
EU–China investment negotiations: Advances on national treatment, financial services
National treatment is a sensitive issue and also featured in a dedicated study commissioned by Brussels.
EU needs unified stand to conclude BIT with China
China - EU were committed to achieving "decisive progress" for the conclusion of a China-EU Comprehensive Investment Agreement in 2020 - the bilateral investment treaty (BIT) between China and the EU.
China, EU aim to conclude comprehensive investment agreement in 2020
China and the European Union (EU) aim to conclude a comprehensive bilateral investment agreement in 2020.
EU urges China to progress on demands to dispel ‘frustration’
In order to address some of the main outstanding issues at the EU-China summit, the EU negotiators included in their proposal sent to their Chinese counterparts to conclude by 2020 an “ambitious” EU-China investment agreement.
Chinese envoy calls for more flexible approach in investment treaty talks with EU
China and the European Union could take a more flexible approach by setting phase-based targets in bilateral investment treaty negotiations.