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FTA Chile, EU and sustainable fair trade
The modernized FTA between the EU and Chile rules the trade of raw materials (like lithium for batteries) and hydrocarbons by Promoting dialogue and cooperation in the energy and raw material sectors; fostering sustainable and fair trade and investments; ensuring a level playing-field in those sectors, and to strengthen competitiveness of related value chains including value addition. The parties (EU and Chili): are committed to grant the access to infrastructure for producers of electricity generated from renewable energy sources; agree to cooperate on any relevant issue of mutual interest, such as: a) renewable energy particularly with regards to technologies, integration into and access to the electricity system, storage and flexibility,…
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New elements of the modernized FTA EU Chile
The main aspects of the modernized FTA (free trade agreement) between the UE and the Chile are: accounting segregation for fungible materials; non alteration principle; claim for preferential tariff treatment by means of either statement of origin (with REX for EU economic operators) or importer knowledge; requirement of record keeping; bilateral cumulation EU-Chile; right of the parties to study more complex ways of cumulation. The AEO authorization can support the economic operator in ensuring high compliance with the obligations of the FTA.
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EU and Ghana Rex from 20 August 2023
According to the notice “concerning valid proofs of origin for products originating in Ghana on importation into the European Union as from 20 August 2023 under the EU- Ghana stepping-stone Economic Partnership Agreement (2023/C 245/06)” published on 12 July 2023, the preferential origin for Ghanian originating goods imported into the EU will be allowed only with a statement of origin with an exporter registered (REX) in accordance with the relevant provisions of Ghanaian law. It is expempted only any consignment consisting of one or more packages containing originating products whose total value does not exceed EUR 6 000.
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Chile, EU modernized free trade agreement
On 5 July 2023 EU Commission declared: “…The modernised EU-Chile agreement has today taken a step towards ratification, with the Commission sending the Advanced Framework Agreement (AFA) and the Interim Trade Agreement (iTA) to the Council for authorising its signature. Once the Council gives its green light, the EU would sign the agreement with Chile…”.
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EU regulation on batteries and waste of batteries: a new way for circular economy
On 10 July 2023 the European Council adopted a new regulation (batteries and waste of batteries) that strengthens sustainability rules: for batteries; for waste batteries; This regulation covers all categories of batteries including: all waste portable batteries; electric vehicle batteries; industrial batteries; starting, lightning and ignition (SLI) batteries (used mostly for vehicles and machinery); batteries for light means of transport (e.g. electric bikes, e-mopeds, e-scooters). The regulation aims to: promote a circular economy by regulating batteries throughout their life cycle; sets targets for producers to collect waste; mandatoryminimum levels of recycled content; recycling efficiency target; from 2027 portable batteries incorporated into appliances should be removable and replaceable by the end-user, leaving…
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CBAM Finland
The Finnish customs authority is the competent office for the management of the obligations related to the carbon border adjustment mechanism. Moreover the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment has appointed a working group with a term from 23 January 2023 to 31 December 2024. The group will deal with the organisation of the necessary administration and the needs to amend legislation, as well as any detailed regulations on the matter from the EU.
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New GSP framework, sustainable development and good governance: a check of the principles.
The ProposalCOM(2021)579 will set up a new framework of the European generalized system of preference which is: part of EU common commercial policy (unilateral preferential origin treatment for goods originating from the eligibile countries): sustainable development and good goverance; consistent with with the analysis and perspective of the Commission Communication Trade Policy Review: An Open, Sustainable and Assertive Trade Policy of 18 February 2021; consistent with EU green agenda and UN suistainable goals; The key stone of GSP is the “conditionality”: a country should not benefit from preferential trade arrangements if it is acting in a way that is contrary to international standards and principles and thereby also to its…
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New EU GSP: proposal for postponement to 2027
The current European generalized system of preferences (GSP) should be extended to 2027 according to proposal of regulation of EU Parliament and Council. In particular, this proposal ( 4 July 2023- COM 426 2023/0252 COD ) lays down that: “…the period of application of Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 should be extended until 31 December 2027…”; “…If the publication takes place after 31 December 2023, this Regulation shall apply retroactively from 1 January 2024…”; “…in case the Regulation based on Commission Proposal COM(2021)579 becomes applicable before that date, the extension of the period of application of Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 should be correspondingly shortened…”. For sake of completness, the Commission Proposal COM(2021)579 provides…
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EU, Kenya negotiations for a free trade agreement
According to a press release of EU Parliament: On 19 June 2023, the EU and Kenya concluded negotiations on an economic partnership agreement (EPA); The text of the EPA or FTA (free trade agreement-preferential origin) includes binding provisions on trade and sustainable development; This text must be: a) gone through legal revision; b) submitted for signature and conclusion to the Council; c) signed by EU and Kenya; d) accepted by the EU Parliament; e) ratified by Kenya and the EU Member states. Futhermore, after the consent by the European Parliament, the parties may decide to provisionally apply parts of the agreement
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ESA countries and last negotiations round
In the report of the last virtual meeting held in March 2023 by ESA countries (Zimbabwe, Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles) and the EU it is stated that: About the technical barriers to trade (TBT): “…Both Parties had a constructive exchange on the outstanding issues, i.e. conformity assessment procedures, technical regulations and technical assistance…” Rules of Origin: “… The Parties continued discussions on the product specific rules (PSR) and agreed on most of the PSR for textiles and clothing and industrial products. Both sides continued discussions on outstanding provisions of Protocol 1 related to wholly obtained goods, cumulation of product origin, accounting, segregation and transitional provisions and managed to clean the…