European Commissioner for Trade

Ukraine is willing to accept limitations on its trade with the EU as a means to resolve a contentious political disagreement with Poland, according to the Ukrainian trade minister, reported by the Financial Times.

The World Trade Organization Tuesday enshrined new rules facilitating trade in services between more than 70 member states, the European Union's trade commissioner said, despite initial objections from India and South Africa.

The set of rules will streamline authorisation requirements and ease procedural hurdles faced by businesses, according to a press release.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is in a difficult situation at the moment, and swift action is needed for this entity not to fall apart, Cecilia Malmstrom, European Commissioner for Trade told on Friday a joint press conference held at the Parliament Palace with the Minister for the Business Milieu, Commerce and Entrepreneurship, Stefan-Radu Oprea.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) needs to be reformed urgently and needs to be strengthened, because at present it is incapable of making decisions, European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrom said Thursday in Bucharest. The European representative warned that should the WTO collapse, there would be catastrophic consequences in the economy.

The Trade Ministers of the EU gather in Bucharest between 21 and 22 February, at the informal meeting that will be chaired by Business Environment, Trade and Entrepreneurship Minister Stefan-Radu Oprea, in the context of Romania's Presidency at the EU Council.

The European Parliament on Wednesday approved an accord with Japan that has been dubbed the world's biggest trade deal, covering economies that represent a third of the world's GDP, reports AFP.

The European Union is introducing customs duties on a number of American products from tomorrow, Nova TV reported. Fees are 25% and will affect commodities such as bourbon, jeans and motorcycles.

The decision is in response to Donald Trump's import duties on European steel and aluminum.

Brussels, 31 May 2018

The US announced that starting on 1 June 2018 it will impose additional duties of 25 % and 10 % respectively on imports of steel and aluminium from the EU.

Ministers responsible for trade in the EU meet at an informal meeting in Bulgaria.

The European Commission will be represented by Cecilia Malmström, Commissioner for Trade. Ministers will discuss the prospects for a trading system.

The European Union's top trade official said on July 1 that a Japan-EU free trade deal was "almost there," as the two sides look to ink an agreement seen as a push back against rising protectionism.

EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom was in Tokyo with agriculture commissioner Phil Hogan for two days of talks with Japanese officials.