Trade blocs

Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures against the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, January 14, 2021
Organizations, Politics of the European Union, Politics of Europe, Foreign relations of the European Union, Trade blocs, Multi-speed Europe, European Free Trade Association, European Economic Area, Common Foreign and Security Policy, European Union, North Macedonia

The Council renewed the existing restrictive measures for a further twelve months, until 12 December 2021, and amended the list of persons and entities subject to restrictive measures as set out in the Annex II to Decision 2010/788/CFSP.

Key Points: 
  • The Council renewed the existing restrictive measures for a further twelve months, until 12 December 2021, and amended the list of persons and entities subject to restrictive measures as set out in the Annex II to Decision 2010/788/CFSP.
  • The Candidate Countries the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania2 and the EFTA countries Iceland and Liechtenstein, members of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this Council Decision.
  • They will ensure that their national policies conform to this Council Decision.
  • L 419/30

    2 The Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.

UK/Vietnam Free Trade Agreement - why it's a big deal for NashTech as well as UK plc

Retrieved on: 
Friday, December 11, 2020
Economy of the United Kingdom, Free trade, Trade blocs, International trade

This bilateral Free Trade Agreement strengthens the UK/Vietnam platform across trade liberalisation, legal regulation and alignment of global standards.In particular it will:

Key Points: 
  • This bilateral Free Trade Agreement strengthens the UK/Vietnam platform across trade liberalisation, legal regulation and alignment of global standards.In particular it will:
    Significantly improve protection of Intellectual Property (IP) and Design.
  • British companies will be just as protected sharing ideas and innovations with Vietnamese partners like NashTech, as they do within the UK.
  • Nick Lonsdale, CEO NashTech, commented: "For two decades NashTech has experienced the enormous value of partnership between the UK and Vietnam.
  • This Free Trade Agreement takes it one important step further and is an emphatic win for UK plc., NashTech and our clients."

Worldwide Air Freight Forwarding Industry to 2025 - Rising Free Trade Agreements Benefits the Air Freight Market - ResearchAndMarkets.com

Retrieved on: 
Monday, December 7, 2020
Air, Transport, Logistics, Supply chain management, International trade, International relations, Commercial policy, International business, Economic integration, Free trade areas, International trade law, Trade blocs, Free trade agreement, Trade agreement, Free trade, North American Free Trade Agreement

One of the reasons for rising volumes of air freight is the rising number of free trade agreements worldwide.

Key Points: 
  • One of the reasons for rising volumes of air freight is the rising number of free trade agreements worldwide.
  • The international trade agreements have great value as they help eliminate artificial barriers to trade such as tariffs, quotas and protective subsidies.
  • Emerging array of multilateral preferential trading arrangements such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the Latin American Free Trade Association, Association of Southeast Asian Nations Free Trade Area (AFTA) and many more have greatly affected the ease of doing business in today's world.
  • The Market growth in this region is expected to be faster than the growth of the market in other regions.

Procore and The United States Minority Contractors Association Partner to Provide Technical and Educational Resources to Members

Retrieved on: 
Monday, December 7, 2020
International trade, Canada–United States trade relations, Economy of North America, Free trade agreements of Canada, Free trade areas, Trade blocs, Procore, United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement, International relations, Economy

Through Procore.org , Procore's social impact arm, USMCA members will receive free Procore product training, educational resources, and a discounted buying program for the Procore platform.

Key Points: 
  • Through Procore.org , Procore's social impact arm, USMCA members will receive free Procore product training, educational resources, and a discounted buying program for the Procore platform.
  • I'm excited about this partnership because it gives our members access to the latest and greatest construction technology and educational resources."
  • USMCA will provide additional technical and educational value to their members through access to the Procore platform, training resources, and educational materials.
  • Previous technology training also benefits general contractors that use Procore and hire through USMCA.

Press release - EU agreement with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries at risk

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, December 3, 2020
Countries, Foreign relations, Government, Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, Trade blocs, Cotonou, Cotonou Agreement, ACP–EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, ACP–EU development cooperation

The two Chairs warned that Parliament would not give its consent to the new Post-Cotonou agreement if greater parliamentary scrutiny and democratic control were not included.

Key Points: 
  • The two Chairs warned that Parliament would not give its consent to the new Post-Cotonou agreement if greater parliamentary scrutiny and democratic control were not included.
  • The consent of Parliament is required under EU law for the international agreement to come into effect.
  • Twenty years after its initial conclusion, the Cotonou Partnership Agreement between the EU and 78 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries should have expired in February 2020, but has been extended until December 2021 as negotiations on a successor Agreement have taken longer than planned.
  • The ACP-EU framework is the most comprehensive partnership between the EU and third countries and a key foundation of EU development cooperation and external relations.

Co-chairs' press release of the 23rd ASEAN-EU ministerial meeting

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, December 2, 2020
Continents, ASEAN, Geography of Asia, Southeast Asia, Trade blocs, East Asian Community, ASEAN–European Union relations

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU) convened the 23rd ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting (AEMM) on Tuesday, 1 December 2020 via video conference.

Key Points: 
  • The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU) convened the 23rd ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting (AEMM) on Tuesday, 1 December 2020 via video conference.
  • The Meeting was attended by the Foreign Ministers or their representatives from all ASEAN Member States and 27 EU Member States, as well as the ASEAN Secretariat and European Commission.
  • We commended the good progress on implementation of the ASEAN-EU Plan of Action (2018-2022).
  • We reiterated our shared commitment to support ASEAN Centrality and ASEAN-led mechanisms in the evolving regional architecture that is open, transparent, inclusive and rules-based.
  • ASEAN Member States reiterated the importance of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) as a guide for ASEANs engagement in the wider Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions.
  • Recalling that the 22nd ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting in Brussels in 2019 agreed in principle to upgrade relations, today we elevated the ASEAN-EU Dialogue Partnership to a Strategic Partnership.
  • We recognised the EUs early engagement with ASEAN at the outset of the pandemic through the successful convening of the ASEAN-EU Ministerial Video Conference on COVID-19 in March 2020.
  • The EU and ASEAN agreed on the importance of collaboration at the WHO, including towards an impartial review of the pandemic response.
  • We were heartened by our robust economic cooperation, with the EU being ASEANs third largest foreign investor and trading partner in 2019.
  • We welcomed the EUs commitment to climate neutrality by 2050, and will work together to achieve a successful COP26.
  • We also reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, security, stability, safety, and freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea.

Why has the world's largest free trade bloc formed in East Asia

Retrieved on: 
Friday, November 27, 2020
Free trade agreements, International trade, Trade blocs, Commercial policy, Free trade areas, ASEAN, Asia-Pacific, Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, Free trade, Trade agreement, Protectionism, Trade

The signing of the RCEP will create the world's largest free trade bloc.

Key Points: 
  • The signing of the RCEP will create the world's largest free trade bloc.
  • More importantly, East Asia, with a well-established production network and active regional trade, lacked an overall free trade agreement.
  • In addition, the resurgence of unilateralism and trade protectionism over recent years have greatly disrupted regional trade in East Asia.
  • Although the volume of bilateral trade exceeds $300 billion, the two countries had no free trade deal between each other.

Press release - Deal on lobsters gets go-ahead from Parliament

Retrieved on: 
Friday, November 27, 2020
Trade blocs, Organizations, Articles, World, International trade law, Foreign direct investment, World Trade Organization, World government, Bernd Lange, European Union

This is the first EU-US negotiated tariff-reduction in over 20 years, and is applicable for all WTO trading partners.

Key Points: 
  • This is the first EU-US negotiated tariff-reduction in over 20 years, and is applicable for all WTO trading partners.
  • Parliament supported the agreement with 638 votes for, 45 against and 11 abstentions as a basis for renewed constructive transatlantic engagement.
  • Bernd Lange (S&D, DE), rapporteur

    Over the last few years, trade relations between the EU and the US have been marked by tension.

  • This deal on lobsters clearly shows that the EU prefers cooperation to confrontation.

Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures against Belarus

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, November 25, 2020
Foreign relations of the European Union, Trade blocs, Common Foreign and Security Policy, European Free Trade Association, Organizations, International trade, International relations

On 6 November 2020, the Council adopted Council Decision (CFSP) 2020/1650[1] implementing Council Decision 2012/642/CFSP.

Key Points: 
  • On 6 November 2020, the Council adopted Council Decision (CFSP) 2020/1650[1] implementing Council Decision 2012/642/CFSP.
  • The Council Decision decided that 15 persons should be included in the list of persons and entities subject to restrictive measures set out in the Annex to Decision 2012/642/CFSP.
  • The Candidate Countries the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania[2] and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway align themselves with this Council Decision.
  • They will ensure that their national policies conform to this Council Decision.

Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain third countries concerning restrictive measures against the proliferation and use of chemical weapons

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, November 24, 2020
Organizations, Politics of the European Union, Politics of Europe, Foreign relations of the European Union, Trade blocs, International relations, European Economic Area, European Free Trade Association, Common Foreign and Security Policy, European Union, North Macedonia, Stabilisation and Association Process

The Council decided that six persons and one entity should be added to the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies subject to restrictive measures as set out in the Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2018/1544.

Key Points: 
  • The Council decided that six persons and one entity should be added to the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies subject to restrictive measures as set out in the Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2018/1544.
  • The Candidate Countries the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania[2], and the EFTA countries Iceland and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine align themselves with this Council Decision.
  • They will ensure that their national policies conform to this Council Decision.
  • [2] The Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.