Communication on ‘A Balanced and Progressive Trade Policy to Harness Globalisation’

Background and further information:

As part of the debate launched in March 2017 by the White Paper on the Future of Europe, a reflection paper sketched out how trade policy, alongside other EU policies, can help harness globalisation and ensure that benefits of trade are fairly shared in line with EU principles of solidarity and sustainability.

The international environment in which the European Union conducts trade policy is continually changing, with increasing challenges to rules-based multilateral trading system and a resurgence of protectionism. To respond to those challenges and opportunities, the Commission decided to put forward a package of initiatives that add to and complete the existing trade agenda of the Union. This Communication provides the context to those legislative proposals:

+ A Regulation establishing a framework to screen foreign direct investment coming into the European Union (together with a Communication outlining the need for that screening);

+ Recommendations to open negotiations for trade agreements with Australia and with New Zealand;

+ A Recommendation to open multilateral negotiations to establish a multilateral court for the settlement of investment disputes;

+ The creation of a group to provide advice on the EU trade agreements.

Alongside these documents, the Commission also decided to publish the first two-year report on the implementation of its trade policy strategy 'Trade for All'.

The European Commission published on 13 September 2017 a Communication providing the context to a package of proposals relating to trade and investment. This Communication was released as the President of the European Commission addressed the European Parliament with his annual State of the Union address, in which external trade was one of the highlights.

• Primary Source

EurActiv, 13.09.17: Juncker’s trade push starts with Australia, New Zealand https://www.euractiv.com/section/ceta/news/junckers-trade-push-starts-with-australia-new-zealand/

European Commission: DG Communication: IP/17/3183, 14.09.17: Trade Package: Commission unveils initiatives for a balanced and progressive trade policy http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-3182_en.htm

Politico, 12.09.17: Juncker’s risky bid to rescue EU trade policy http://www.politico.eu/article/juncker-trade-sotu-risky-bid-to-rescue-eu-trade-policy/

---