The official documents for the European Union to become a member of the Geneva Act were deposited at the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in Geneva. This is the last step for the EU to become a member of the Geneva Act, a multilateral treaty for the protection of geographical indications (GIs) managed by the […]
Olive oil and Wine trade in the EU
EU trade in olive oil EU Member States exported over 1.6 million tonnes of olive oil in 2018, worth €5.7 billion. Almost two thirds of these exports went to other EU Member States (63%, or 1.0 million tonnes). This represents a 15% increase in the value of EU Member States’ total exports compared with 2013. […]
First tender for private storage aid for olive oil opens today
Following the adoption of private storage aid for the olive oil sector on 11 November 2019, the first tender opened on 21 november 2019. Operators from producing Member States, (Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Malta, Portugal and Slovenia) will be able to submit tenders until 26 November to their national authorities. Squeme and impact […]
The Commission launches an observatory of the wine market
The wine observatory will provide periodic analysis for a sector that accounts for 65% of world wine production. The Commission officially launched the wine market observatory with an initial meeting on November 4 in Brussels. This new observatory will bring a short-term analysis and greater transparency to an important sector of the Union’s agriculture. The […]
EU and China sign landmark agreement to protect 100 European Geographical Indications in China
The EU and China concluded the negotiations on a bilateral agreement to protect 100 European Geographical Indications (GI) in China and 100 Chinese GI in the EU against imitations and usurpation. This landmark agreement is expected to result in reciprocal trade benefits and demand for high-quality products on both sides. Delivering on the commitment made […]
Industrial policy: recommendations to support Europe’s leadership in six strategic business areas
Europe’s industry is strong and has retained global leadership in many sectors, such as automotive, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery and aerospace. Our industry has created 1.7 million jobs since 2013 and accounts for more than two-third of our exports. However, in a changing world Europe’s industry must adjust and adapt to remain ahead of the curve. […]
Making electronic payments and online banking safer and easier for consumers
New EU measures to make electronic payments and e-banking easier and safer for consumers. 1. Payment Services Directive The revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2) aims to further modernise Europe’s payment services for the benefit of consumers and businesses. It promotes the development of innovative online and mobile payments, safer payments and better consumer protection. At […]
E-commerce still vulnerable to VAT and customs duty evasion
According to a new report by the European Court of Auditors, many difficulties remain to be resolved in the collection of the correct amounts of VAT and customs duties in e-commerce. In particular, EU controls are insufficient to prevent fraud and detect abuse, and the implementation of recovery measures is not yet effective. However, recent […]
EU leading in global agri-food trade
In a report published recently, the EU confirms for yet another year its position as largest global exporter of agri-food products, with EU exports reaching €138 billion in 2018. Agriculture products represent a solid share of 7% of the value of EU total goods exported in 2018, ranking fourth after machinery, other manufactured goods and […]