Dans ce cinquième webinaire consacré aux entreprises et aux Objectifs du Développement Durable (ODD), il sera question des enjeux liés à la gestion des déchets et à l'économie circulaire, en lien avec l'Objectif du développement durable numéro 12, lié à l'établissement des modes de consommation et de production durables. Cette gestion des déchets, dans laquelle […]

« Rana Plaza, 5 ans après », 15 avril 2018 Le 24 avril 2013 s'effondrait l'immeuble du Rana Plaza, au Bangladesh...Ce jour-là, 1135 salariés périssent dans l'effondrement d'un immeuble fissuré, construit sans permis, révélant au grand jour les conditions de travail indécentes de ces sous-traitants du bout de monde...Depuis, le législateur français n'est pas resté […]

« Entreprises responsables: contre-projet relancé », 20 avril 2018 Un contre-projet pourrait être opposé à l'initiative pour des multinationales responsables. Souhaitant le retrait de cette dernière, la commission compétente du National a tourné casaque. Par 18 voix contre 1, elle a décidé de légiférer, a-t-elle annoncé vendredi...Le contre-projet est toutefois soumis à la réserve de l'approbation […]

"Charges against Thai activists dismissed, mining protest to go on", 20 Apr 2018 A Thai court has dismissed all charges against seven female activists accused of violating public assembly laws, just weeks after a United Nations team called on the government to end attacks on human rights campaigners.  The court in northeastern Loei province ruled […]

« La justice réclame Hervé Falciani à Genève », 19 avril 2018 Les juges genevois attendent Hervé Falciani à une audience agendée le 20 juin prochain, suite à une plainte déposée devant la justice civile contre l'ex-employé de la banque HSBC. A cause de lui, un homme d'affaire gréco-israélien estime avoir été accusé faussement d'évasion […]

Le Sénat a adopté dans la nuit de mercredi à jeudi la proposition de loi pour protéger le "secret des affaires" malgré l'opposition de la gauche qui a relayé les inquiétudes suscitées par le texte parmi les médias et les associations...Le texte, déjà adopté à l'Assemblée nationale, a recueilli 248 voix pour et 95 contre, […]

« Les fonds verts bondissent en Europe... Mais restent encore marginaux », 18 avril 2018 L'élan politique donné à la finance verte en Europe s'est traduit par une dynamique inédite en 2017 en matière de collecte des fonds verts. Les encours atteignent désormais 32,2 milliards d'euros, en progression de 49 % sur un an. Deux […]

« Apple, première capitalisation de la planète, fonctionne désormais à 100% aux énergies renouvelables », 17 avril 2018 Tous les sites d'Apple à travers le monde sont maintenant alimentés à partir d'énergies renouvelables. La marque opère même directement plus de 600 mégawatts d'installations solaires, éoliennes, de piles à hydrogène ou d'installations hydrauliques. L'entreprise assure aussi […]

The WTO Secretariat has circulated a meeting notice and list of items proposed for the next meeting, on 27 April 2018, of the Dispute Settlement Body, which consists of all WTO members and oversees legal disputes among them. The meeting notice is circulated in the form of a document officially called an “airgram”.

Every effort should be made by WTO members — particularly the leading trading nations — to break the impasse in the negotiations on agriculture and work collaboratively to achieve positive results, which would help reduce current tensions in the multilateral trading system, Deputy Director-General Alan Wolff said on 20 April. DDG Wolff delivered his remarks […]

WTO members met with representatives from the public and private sector on 18 April to discuss the challenges faced by exporters in complying with requirements related to the certification of origin. The information session at WTO headquarters is part of an outreach effort with business, academics and other international bodies to gain a better understanding […]

On 17 April 2018, at the request of Brazil and Canada, the panel in “Canada – Measures Concerning Trade in Commercial Aircraft” (DS522) circulated a preliminary ruling.

World merchandise trade growth is expected to remain strong in 2018 and 2019 after posting its largest increase in six years in 2017, but continued expansion depends on robust global economic growth and governments pursuing appropriate monetary, fiscal and especially trade policies, WTO economists said.

On 12 April the WTO circulated the panel report in the case brought by Japan in “Korea — Anti-Dumping Duties on Pneumatic Valves from Japan” (DS504).

WTO members in the Negotiating Group on Rules have agreed on a work programme for fisheries subsidies negotiations in the next few months, in furtherance of the Ministerial Decision on fisheries subsidies at the WTO’s 11th Ministerial Conference (MC11) in December 2017. The first cluster of meetings is scheduled for 14-17 May.

The first review of the trade policies and practices of Montenegro takes place on 11 and 13 April 2018. The basis for the review is a report by the WTO Secretariat and a report by the Government of Montenegro.

WTO members discussed how to improve work on enhancing the transparency of regional trade agreements (RTAs) at a meeting of the Committee on RTAs on 9-10 April at the WTO. They reviewed five RTAs covering countries in Europe, Asia and Africa. The new chair of the committee, Ambassador Julian Braithwaite of the United Kingdom, presided […]

Following the recent anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, Open Europe's Aarti Shankar notes that tensions are surfacing in UK-Ireland relations over the Brexit border issue.The post British-Irish relations show signs of Brexit strain appeared first on Open Europe.

Following a joint operation conducted by the US, France and the UK in Syria last week, Open Europe’s Enea Desideri considers how that intervention illustrates the foreign and defence policy dilemmas facing Europe after BrexitThe post What future for Europe’s foreign and defence policy? appeared first on Open Europe.

Following comments by Labour's Barry Gardiner that it is not possible to achieve the "exact same benefits" as part of a future UK-EU deal, Open Europe's Henry Newman assesses the politics of the Opposition's Brexit tests.The post What to make of Labour’s Brexit tests? appeared first on Open Europe.

Michel Barnier's yesterday suggested that the UK could change its mind on membership of the Single Market and the Customs Union during the Brexit transition, Open Europe's Henry Newman argues that this has important domestic implications for the "meaningful" parliamentary vote on Brexit, and for amendments to the UK Customs bill.The post Examining Barnier’s latest […]

Speaking at Open Europe's joint panel debate with the Martens Centre in Brussels, Open Europe Director Henry Newman argues that more innovative and flexible thinking is needed to find a political solution to Brexit.The post Reconciling different perspectives appeared first on Open Europe.

A new question mark has opened up over the Labour Party's Brexit policy. Open Europe's Henry Newman assesses whether Labour will support a future UK-EU agreement when a deal makes its way to the Parliament. The post Voting for “blah blah blah” appeared first on Open Europe.

EU27 leaders today formally agreed their negotiating guidelines for the future UK-EU relationship. Open Europe's Aarti Shankar takes a look at how these compare to the UK's position on the future economic partnership. The post The outline of a future UK-EU economic relationship is emerging appeared first on Open Europe.

The UK and the EU today announced that agreement has been reached on a post-Brexit transition period. Open Europe's Aarti Shankar analyses the progress made today and the challenges that still remain.The post UK-EU agreement on the transition takes us one step closer to a smooth Brexit appeared first on Open Europe.

Open Europe's Henry Newman writes in ConservativeHome that Theresa May's 'Road to Brexit' speech was her most successful yet and criticises the EU for accusing the UK of "cherry picking" in the Brexit negotiations as the EU does so itself when it is politically convenient.The post Henry Newman: The EU cherry-picks whenever it is politically […]

In her Mansion House speech on 2 March, Prime Minister Theresa May provided further detail on her vision for a post-Brexit relationship with the EU. Open Europe's Leopold Traugott takes a look at how the speech has been received on the continent.The post European reactions to Theresa May’s vision for post-Brexit trade appeared first on […]