Complementing the technical material in the Knowledge section, the TKE here delivers commentary on key trade issues. While you won't find comments on the breaking news of the day, you will find measured, analytical thoughts on important topics and the key issues under debate.
A core TKE objective is to stimulate informed discussion so we welcome comments on our commentary.
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With COP-26 starting today and one month to go until the 12th WTO ministerial conference, the trade-climate nexus is under the spotlight yet again. We will host a panel to discuss these questions. You can register here. In the meantime, here is a quick overview of some of the questions by way of background. We […]
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In our post entitled Brexit and the Irish border issue dated 9 February 2018, we wrote: The Issue of Brexit and the Irish border – how to avoid creating some form of border within the island of Ireland – has emerged as one of the most difficult in the entire Brexit negotiation. Three and a […]
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Agreement at last After more than four years of seemingly interminable negotiation following the United Kingdom’s 2016 referendum decision to leave the European Union, the parties finally concluded a Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) at the very last practicable moment, on Christmas Eve 2020. Ratification was rushed through both Houses of the UK Parliament on […]
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President Donald Trump signed a new executive order on 13 February 2025 mandating “reciprocal tariffs”. The order has far reaching, and not yet fully understood, consequences for international trade and the trading system. We consider effects and possible responses. The new executive order on reciprocal tariffs President Trump’s executive order mandating “reciprocal tariffs” has been […]
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India has emerged as a significant player in the international trading system, particularly as a leading exporter of services. However, its engagement in global trade rulemaking has been marked by a cautious approach. As the global trade landscape undergoes significant changes, India faces both challenges and opportunities that will shape its future role in the […]
Read moreTo launch our third season of Trade Knowledge Matters, our host, Amar Breckenridge discusses with Prof. David Luke, LSE and Colette van der Ven, Tulip Consulting the aftermath of the CoP28 in the United Arab Emirates. They dive into the impact of the CoP’s conclusions on Sub-Sahara African economies and their trade policies. The episode […]
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The European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) enters its initial transition phase in October 2023. The measure is part of the EU’s Green Deal and “Fit for 55” policy package, which aims to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by 55% by 2030. Like many measures implemented in a “second-best” policy environment, it raises a […]
Read moreThe UK left the EU in early 2020, and then entered into a new set of arrangements under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement at the start of 2021. There have been no shortage of studies on the impacts of moving to these new arrangements. Moreover, since the UK left the EU, it has had to […]
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The UK and Switzerland have announced that, after a year of exploratory talks, they would launch negotiations on an “enhanced” Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The two countries also announced that they would try and conclude a mutual recognition agreement on financial services by the end of 2023. We consider some of the issues. Some quirky […]
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The UK and Switzerland have announced that, after a year of exploratory talks, they will start formal negotiations on an “enhanced” Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The two countries had also announced last year that they would try and conclude a mutual recognition agreement on financial services by the end of 2023. We consider some of […]
Read moreThe Centre for Inclusive Trade Policy in conjunction with Chatham House and Resolution Foundation held their first UK Trade Policy Forum since the Covid-19 Pandemic on February 28th, 2023. This forum provided an opportune time to reflect on the aftershocks of the pandemic, Russia’s war in Ukraine and what exactly is happening at Number 10 […]
Read moreThe EU’s new approach to trade policy is based around the idea of “strategic autonomy”. The expression covers a number of proposals. One set of proposals reflects the EU’s desire to punish trade partners for “bad behaviour”. This might include state financial support to businesses that the engage in mergers and acquisitions in the EU; […]
Read moreThis year we decided to try something new with TKE and launched our very first podcast, ‘Trade Knowledge Matters’. When we first had the idea, we hadn’t anticipated the upheavals that would affect us all this year. Creating this medium for us has been quite the adventure and encouraged each of us to step out […]
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