Rob Francis
@robfranciseu
Brussels editor for @BorderlexEditor covering EU trade policy. Recovering lobbyist. Season ticket holder @UnionStGilloise and @RoyalBelgianFA
ID: 1392170193259016192
http://www.borderlex.net 11-05-2021 17:30:26
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Could T-shirts be the way to industrialise an African nation? Bénin is trying to achieve what few countries in the continent have managed: systematically transform raw materials into finished goods. via Financial Times on.ft.com/3Z9b17z
Our Week Ahead column is back! Here is what you can expect for trade policy in Brussels, London & Geneva👇 🇪🇺: Steel, investment screening, Kenya #EPA 🇬🇧: MPs to grill Reynolds 🇨🇭: EFTA-Ukraine #FTA talks By Iana Dreyer @ianadreyer.bsky.social, Rob Francis & Chris Horseman borderlex.net/2024/09/02/wee…
EU and Indonesia are continuing to hold intersessional talks with a view to reach a trade agreement - but no new formal round has been scheduled yet. Reports in Indonesian press say 🇮🇩 trade minister eyeing an agreement next week. Seems unlikely IMO indonesiabusinesspost.com/lobby/trade-mi…
The European Commission will be an “economic security commission” says Maria Demertzis. Econ security means “diversification” and “standing on our own 2 feet”. Says that diversifying sources of critical raw materials will be “not so easy” #bam24
Interesting comments by Jeromin Zettelmeyer who says the EU could decouple economically from China but says that politically it would be very damaging. Maria Demertzis disagrees. “Why do we want to go back on trade? It could be harmful for us” #bam24
Former EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmström repeats her call for the EU to join CPTPP as well as the ACCTS pact between Costa Rica, Iceland, New Zealand and Switzerland. Difficult given the EU’s tariffs on China-made EVs! More info on ACCTS 👇🏻 borderlex.net/2024/07/03/asi… #bam24
“We [the EU] need to move beyond trade agreements” says Bernard Hoekman. Says there should be a focus on issues that matter to developing countries. “Make trade closely linked to the development agenda” he says #bam24
At the invitation of Roberta Metsola, EP leaders will exchange with the President of the Commission Ursula von der Leyen on the Commission’s structure and portfolios proposed on Wednesday 11 September from 8.00 to 9.30. (1/2)