Commentary
As part of a new series of ‘Round Up Surveys’, TKE is asking trade experts from across the public and private sector for their opinions on topical trade issues, including Lord Gus O’Donnell, David Henig, and Dr Peter Holmes. Our first Round Up comes in the wake of President Trump’s comment that “trade wars are […]
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Customs arrangements and post-Brexit trade policy: What are the options? Theresa May’s cabinet has met this week in another of its recurring “crunch meetings” on its future position vis a vis the EU. The main bone of contention is the question of customs arrangements. Theresa May has already ruled out continuing membership of the EU’s […]
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The emergence of global value chains (GVCs) and global public goods presents an opportunity for the World Trade Organization (WTO) to play a larger role in international regulatory cooperation. This paper identifies the circumstances and modalities where the WTO is most likely to be successful. First, it assesses the circumstances in which international regulatory cooperation is best […]
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Donald Trump’s decision to repudiate the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action agreed with Iran has not only precipitated a security crisis, it will also further ratchet up tensions in world trade. Trade is a fundamental part of the deal, for Iran, but also the European Union. In just two years, EU exports to Iran increased […]
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WTO membership and the European Union It is commonly (and loosely) said either that at the point of withdrawal from the European Union the United Kingdom will need to join the WTO as an independent member; or that the UK will resume its original WTO seat as an independent member. Neither proposition is strictly true. […]
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Originally international trade agreements were about reducing tariffs on trade in goods, but with growing globalisation and since the Tokyo Round Agreements in 1973 non-tariff issues such as standards, investment and employment rights have become equally, or more, important in negotiation both multilaterally and in regional associations.
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President Trump announced on 1 March that he would impose tariffs respectively of 25% and 10% on US imports of steel and aluminium. The backdrop to this dramatic action is of course the longstanding decline in US steel production, together with the sustained impact on world steel markets of Chinese overcapacity in the sector. The […]
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UK-China Trade: Eastern Promise? UK-China trade has featured highly on Theresa May’s visit to China. The Prime Minister hopes that by the end of her sojourn, a further £9 billion in commercial deals will have been secured between UK and Chinese businesses. Trade with China is a small but important part of the UK’s overall […]
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This paper explores the nature of the UK’s WTO commitments and how they might impact the UK from the date of its exit from the EU.
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This paper highlights how Brexit might directly and indirectly affect UK services trade and policy-making in this area.
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