"The Toronto Declaration: Protecting the rights to equality and non-discrimination in machine learning systems", 16 May 2018 As machine learning systems advance in capability and increase in use, we must examine the positive and negative implications of these technologies. We acknowledge the potential for these technologies to be used for good and to promote human […]

Better Buying Index Report Spring 2018, 22 May 2018 The Better Buying Purchasing Practices Index Report 2018 evaluates purchasing practices in the apparel, footwear, and household textile sector examining performance on seven key categories of purchasing practices. The Index Report is the first-ever independent survey of buyers’ purchasing practices performance. [It] compiles findings about 65 leading brands […]

The Canadian subsidiary of U.S.-based oil giant Chevron Corp. cannot be held liable for a US$9.5-billion award a court in Ecuador ordered against the parent company in favour of Ecuadorian villagers, Ontario’s top court ruled on Wednesday.  Even though the Court of Appeal expressed sympathy for the plight of the Indigenous villagers, it found that […]

The Indigenous people from Ecuador who have been living for decades on land poisoned by oil companies have had their appeal for redress against Chevron Canada rejected.  An Ontario Appeals Court panel of judges ruled Wednesday that Chevron Canada cannot be held responsible for the toxic pollution left behind in the Amazon rainforest by Texaco […]

"First-ever agreement between Amazon and unions halts inhumane work hours in Italy", 23 May 2018 Amazon employees in Italy have made history. Workers are announcing today the first-ever direct agreement between unions and the company anywhere in the world. The Italian agreement tackles inhumane scheduling, one of the core labour problems at Amazon fulfilment centres […]

In February 2018, the Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporation and other business enterprises; and Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of harzadous substances and wastes, invited A.P. Moller - Maersk to share their perspective on human rights and ship recycling. The […]

"Open consultations on the implementation of HRC Resolution 26/9 Elaboration of an international legally binding instrument on TNCs, OBEs and human rights: Guiding questions for thematic discussions", 25 May 2018 Scope: ...[T]aking into account that reaching a common understanding on the possible landing zone between the different views on the scope of the future legally […]

The WTO Secretariat has circulated a meeting notice and list of items proposed for the next meeting, on 28 May 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”.

India has requested WTO dispute consultations with the United States regarding US duties on certain imported steel and aluminium products. The request was circulated to WTO members on 23 May.

In a speech at the University of the South Pacific (USP) in Suva, Fiji, on 21 May 2018, Director-General Roberto Azevêdo said that trade and trade policy had a crucial role to play in supporting Fiji and other Pacific Islands to meet the big challenges ahead, ‘whether it’s meeting the urgent imperative of development, or […]

WTO membership assists in ongoing transformations of domestic economies for their own benefit and to improve the net benefits for all, said Deputy Director-General Alan Wolff in an address to the Astana Economic Forum in Kazakhstan on 18 May. Here is his full speech.

WTO members in the Negotiating Group on Rules on 14-17 May held their first substantive cluster of meetings on fisheries subsidies since the 11th Ministerial Conference (MC11) in line with their programme of work planned for May to July. Members exchanged views and information on support for capital and operating costs of fishing, and related […]

It is vitally important to ensure that bilateral and regional integration arrangements do not fall outside of the global system, but contribute to its advancement, said Deputy Director-General Alan Wolff in an address to the Astana Economic Forum in Kazakhstan on 17 May. Here is what he said:

The strong rate of trade expansion is likely to continue, while slowing slightly in the second quarter of 2018, according to the WTO’s latest World Trade Outlook Indicator (WTOI) released on 17 May. The WTOI’s current value of 101.8 remains above the baseline value of 100 for the index but below the previous value of […]

Korea has requested WTO dispute consultations with the United States regarding US safeguard duties imposed on imports of large residential washers and crystalline silicon photovoltaic products. The requests were circulated to WTO members on 16 May.

On 16 May the WTO Appellate Body issued its report in the case ““European Union — Countervailing Duties on Certain Polyethylene Terephthalate from Pakistan” (DS486)

Against the background of an ongoing row over the UK's participation in the EU's Galileo programme, both sides have presented their vision for future bilateral security partnership. Open Europe's Aarti Shankar argues that the solution to the Galileo argument could determine how ambitious a UK-EU defence and security agreement is.The post How “special” will the […]

The European Commission yesterday published its proposal for the next EU budget, due to run from 2021-2027. The proposal features some modernising aspects, but it is likely to be resisted in many European capitals. Open Europe’s Enea Desideri takes a look at the document’s key features and at member states’ initial reactions.The post There are […]

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.