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How valuable is WTO transparency: the 15 trillion dollar question
Lucian Cernat is Head of Global Regulatory Cooperation and International Procurement Negotiations at DG TRADE. The author would like to thank Peter Ungphakorn, Aitor Montesa Lloreda, and Olivia...
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What is the reality of the changing globalisation?
By acclamation in Europe and USA, globalisation is either dead or fundamentally changing. Yet much resulting government action, such as subsidies and extra-territorial regulation, is not new, and...
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Go back to the drawing board! The Commission’s leaked patent reform would be bad for technological development and Europe
I have finally got around to reading the leaked draft proposal by the European Commission to overhaul the system of Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) by creating a new framework for determining...
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2023 will be a defining year for Brexit and trade
Notwithstanding endless discussions and early data, Brexit cannot yet be definitively declared a success or failure. Those who would point to trade deals and independent regulatory policy as signs of...
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Digital globalisation, digital trade policy, and the role of developing countries
Digital trade has grown very fast in recent years, not least because of Covid-19 and its push to do online business. The pandemic, according to one news story, “has accelerated digitalization and...
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Could friend-shoring stop protectionism undermining trade and climate change measures?
When considering trade rules and climate change, current developments point towards more protectionism, with the WTO’s role devalued, and progress in reducing emissions at the mercy of government...
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Europe’s Carbon Border Adjustment moves to trilogue: potential impact on trade and WTO compatibility still unclear
Introduction On June 22nd, the European Parliament and Council of the EU submitted amendments to the European Commission’s proposal for an EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). The final...
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There’s Another Way of Looking at the WTO
As the WTO’s next ministerial conference at the end of November comes into view, many commentators portray it as another “make or break” moment for a troubled organization in decline. It’s...
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G7 and Tech Governance
What this week’s summitry means for tech policy The past week of summitry was preceded by President Biden's promise to re-engage and reset – or reel in – the oldest (but not necessarily the...
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What’s in Store for the New WTO Director-General?
The appointment of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the new Director-General of the World Trade Organization has been called historic. She is the first female and first African head of the Organization - a...