The EU and the Republic of Korea have concluded negotiations for a landmark Digital Trade Agreement (DTA), underscoring their commitment to a strong and reliable partnership that is fit to face the fast-paced digital developments of today. During the 12th Trade Committee under the EU-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič and Korean […]
Commission boosts European automotive industry’s global competitiveness
The European automotive sector is at critical turning point, challenged by rapid technological changes and increasing competition. To address the changes ahead, President von der Leyen in January launched a Strategic Dialogue on the Future of the European Automotive Industry, a collaborative and inclusive process designed to tackle the sector’s most pressing challenges. The Commission today puts forward an Action Plan, which […]
Commission authorizes the acquisition of BISA by Repsol and Bunge
The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of joint control of BISA (from Spain) by Repsol (from Spain) and Bunge (from Switzerland). The transaction mainly relates to the processing of oilseeds and the production of biodiesel. The Commission concluded that the notified transaction would not raise competition concerns, given its […]
Commission announces actions for safe and sustainable e-commerce imports
The Commission is taking action to tackle risks stemming from low-value imports sold via non-EU online retailers and marketplaces hosting non-EU traders. These actions are part of the Communication on E-Commerce, ‘A Comprehensive EU Toolbox for Safe and Sustainable E-commerce’, which the Commission is proposing today. The Commission encourages actions, among others, in the areas of […]
CJEU Judgment: The order button or a similar function must clearly indicate that the consumer is subject to a payment obligation by clicking on it
This applies even where the obligation to pay is also dependent on the satisfaction of a subsequent condition. In Germany, the tenant of an apartment – the monthly rent of which was higher than the maximum ceiling permitted under national law – asked a debt recovery undertaking to request his landlords to repay rent overpayments. […]
EU reaffirms trade support for Ukraine and Moldova
The Commission has proposed to renew the suspension of import duties and quotas on Ukrainian exports to the EU for another year, while reinforcing protection for sensitive EU agricultural products. This is done in line with EU commitments to support Ukraine for as long as it takes. These Autonomous Trade Measures (ATMs) have been in place […]
EU agriculture and fisheries ministers discuss trade, forests and the future of agriculture
Belgian presidency work programme The Belgian presidency presented its work programme for the first half of the year in the field of agriculture and fisheries. During this period, the Belgian presidency will focus on ensuring food security and autonomy, as well as on further enhancing the sustainability of food production and consumption. In this context, […]
Trade in electric and hybrid cars continued to grow in 2022 in the EU
Between 2017 and 2022, the trade of electric and hybrid cars in the EU registered a staggering increase. In 2022, 42% of the total number of cars imported were electric or hybrid, indicating an increase of 35 percentage points (pp) compared with 2017. The change in exports was also clear with a 24 pp increase in 2022 (26% of the total number of […]
Anti-coercion instrument: the EU’s new weapon to protect trade
The anti-coercion instrument will be the EU’s new tool to fight economic threats and unfair trade restrictions by non-EU countries. Why does the EU need a new tool to tackle trade conflicts? Global trade can help to boost wealth and create jobs. However, sometimes countries resort to blackmail or trade restrictions to give their companies […]