Shrnutí : China was able to resist to the global economic downturn in 2012, continuing its unprecedented growth at a pace only slightly lower than that registered in before the crisis. China adopted stimulus measures to sustain its economy during the recession, but these also faced some setbacks. While Inflation has been kept at bay, the risk of a real estate bubble and of a general overheating of the economy remains a matter of concern for the new government, in place only since March 2013. Despite some liberalisations, Beijing's command of many sectors of the economy remains strong, and access to its domestic markets not always easy for foreign operators. The EU's trade and economic relations with China are generally good, and the number of disputes remains within reasonable ceilings. However, the EU is dissatisfied with China's reluctance to fully implement its WTO commitments and, more generally, with protectionist measures that affect EU interests. For its part, Beijing is still dissatisfied with the EU's refusal to grant the country 'market economy' status and has criticised the opening of a major anti-dumping and countervailing duty case on solar panels. Negotiations for an EU-China partnership and cooperation agreement, initiated in 2007, have still not been concluded. In September 2012, China and the EU agreed to open negotiations for a bilateral investment agreement; these should begin in the coming months.

Autoři : Lukas GAJDOS and Roberto BENDINI (European Parliament, Directorate-General for External Policies of the Union, Policy Department)

Výbory : Mezinárodní obchod

Shrnutí : This note seeks to provide an initial analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the European Commission's Impact Assessment (IA) accompanying its proposal to the Council to authorise the opening of negotiations on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership between the European Union and United States of America, submitted on 12 March 2013. The European Union and the Unites States together account for about half of the world GDP (47%) and one third of global trade flows. They are each other's main trading partners and enjoy the largest bilateral trade relationship in the world. On 13 February 2013, the EU and the US leaders decided to take their economic relationship to a higher level by agreeing to launch negotiations for a comprehensive trade and investment partnership, which will aim to go beyond the classic approach of removing tariffs and opening markets on investment, services and public procurement. According to the Commission, the successful conclusion of such an agreement, which would be the biggest bilateral trade and investment deal ever negotiated, could add 0.5% to the EU's annual economic output.

Autoři : Alexia Maniaki-Griva

Výbory : Posouzení dopadu, Mezinárodní obchod

Shrnutí : This note seeks to provide an initial analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the European Commission's Impact Assessment (IA) accompanying the proposal for a Regulation amending Council Regulation (EC) No 111/2005 laying down rules for the monitoring of trade between the Community and third countries in drug precursors. Drug precursors are chemical substances that may be produced for licit purposes, but which can be misused for illegal drug production. A specific regulatory framework has been set up both at international level and within the EU to prevent the diversion of drug precursors to illicit drug production.

Autoři : Helmut Werner

Výbory : Posouzení dopadu, Mezinárodní obchod

Shrnutí : The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is perhaps the most ambitious trade initiative — both in its scope and in the number of negotiating countries — to have been launched since the breakdown of the World Trade Organisation’s Doha round of negotiations. The TPP, which has become US-led initiative since Washington formally joined the negotiating process in 2009, is widely perceived as a key component of the US’s recent ‘pivot’ towards Asia. The agreement’s provisions are designed to boost US trade policy by helping Washington increase exports to the Asia-Pacific region, and to do so on Washington's own terms. The TPP is also often viewed as a platform for achieving wider US foreign policy goals, and specifically countering the rising influence of China in the region. The potential economic gains for all participating countries are significant and projected to grow as the number of participants rises. Yet the obstacles to concluding the agreement are formidable and raise doubts about its feasibility. The uncertainty surrounding the TPP is further compounded by its closed-door negotiations, which leave many important questions unanswered. The impact of the TPP on the EU is likely to be negative, making the EU’s efforts to conclude free trade agreements with various Asian economies more urgent than ever.

Autoři : Lukas GAJDOS (European Parliament, Directorate-General for External Policies of the Union, Policy Department)

Výbory : Mezinárodní obchod

Shrnutí : Faced with an impasse in World Trade Organisation's global multilateral trade talks, some 20 countries — accounting for two-thirds of the world's cross-border trade in services — began negotiating a plurilateral agreement on services in 2012 with the aim of opening domestic markets to foreign services and guaranteeing foreign and domestic companies equal treatment. Negotiations were confidential until recently, but on 15 January the US Trade Representative's office notified the US Congress of its intention to negotiate such an agreement. The European Commission is also expected to make its position public in the coming months by requesting an official mandate from the Council. The agreement has been calculated as offering the EU a potential EUR 15.6 billion and the USA EUR 10.4 billion. For the moment, China, India and Brazil remain outside the proposed trade agreement, and their entrance would increase the potential gain by 30 %. With this in mind, the agreement is likely to be crafted in such a way as to allow them a relatively easy accession in the near future.

Autoři : Pasquale DE MICCO (European Parliament, Directorate-General for External Policies of the Union, Policy Department)

Výbory : Mezinárodní obchod

Shrnutí : The European Parliament's rejection of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) in July 2012 (by 478 votes to 39, with 165 abstentions) drew attention to the EU's distinctive approach to issues of intellectual property. In the years to come, the Union will implement its strategy through bilateral trade agreements, as it has in previous years, with a pragmatic and constantly changing approach. The terms of future agreements will evolve in step with the changing pattern of the world economy and with Europe's singular contributions to that economy. Yet ACTA is likely to live on regardless of the EU's rejection. The treaty's provisions may still impact — and, indeed, benefit — EU companies when they export to ACTA Members' markets. This may be the case in the US, for example. The US approach to intellectual property determined many of ACTA's internet provisions, and these proved to be the undoing of the treaty in Europe. The gap between the US — largely concerned with copyright and, until recently, less perturbed by issues of freedom of expression — and the EU — focused on trademark and deeply attentive to personal liberties — are difficult to reconcile. Despite this, there may well be ways to advance ex post ACTA.ÿÿÿ

Autoři : Pasquale DE MICCO, Directorate-General for External Policies of the Union - European Parliament

Výbory : Mezinárodní obchod

Shrnutí : This document contains proceedings of the workshop on "EU - Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement", held on 10 October 2012 in Brussels, Belgium.

Autoři : Robert DOVER (Dover and Joones Ltd., United Kingdom) ; Ramesh CHAITOO (University of Ghent, Belgium) and Kurt HUEBNER (University of British Colombia, Canada)

Výbory : Mezinárodní obchod

Shrnutí : Over the past decade, the global car industry has undergone a gradual but significant shift in sales and production numbers from developed into developing markets. This shift has plunged many European car manufacturers into a particularly difficult structural crisis as they have had to grapple with falling domestic sales and growing overcapacity issues. The economic importance of Europe’s car sector underscores the potential damage that this crisis may inflict on many EU member states. Increasing the volume of exports has been suggested as a solution to the current predicament of Europe’s car industry. This policy briefing provides an in-depth analysis of recent trends and possible future developments in nine mature and growing car markets, concluding that Europe’s car sector could expand its share in a number of these markets. Tariff and non-tariff barriers, however, pose a significant obstacle to this scenario and their timely removal is of utmost importance for the European car industry. The European Commission included improved market access in its CARS 2020 Action Plan yet the relative ease with which countries can introduce non-tariff barriers remains a cause for concern.

Autoři : Lukas GAJDOS (Policy Department, Directorate-General for External Policies of the Union, European Parliament)

Výbory : Mezinárodní obchod

Shrnutí : The Lisbon Treaty extends exclusive European Union competence to foreign direct investment (FDI). In this context the issue of dispute settlement will be included in future EU Investment Agreements. For such situations the European Commission has put forward a draft proposal on how financial responsibility could be shared between the EU and/or a Member State (MS). The proposal aims to address possible conflicts that may arise between the EU/Commission and the respective MS when claims are brought under investment agreements or chapters concluded between the EU (or the EU and its MSs) and a third state. Moreover, the proposal deals with the representation of the EU or MS in arbitral proceedings. The study provides background under public international law by setting out the responsibility of states and international organisations, and considers the financial reimbursement laws and policies of several federal states. Further analysis is provided on the proposal’s respective provisions on financial distribution, respondent status, settlement and the technical aspects of reimbursement. Particular attention is given to the external competence of the EU in relation to the internal competences of MSs, specifically with regard to standards of treatment. Other issues addressed include executive federalism with respect to allocating financial responsibility and the balance between unity of external representation and MS' interests. The conclusions are largely based on the issue of internal/external competence, acknowledging the importance of the language of future investment agreements and chapters in clarifying some of these technical aspects.

Autoři : Christian TIETJE, Emily SIPIORSKI and Grit TÖPFER (Law School of University Halle, Germany)

Výbory : Mezinárodní obchod