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Modernised free trade agreeement UE and Mexico: a short check of the rules of origin lays down by the text in priciple
On 17 January 2025 the negotiations for a modernised free trade agreements between the EU and Mexico have been concluded. The contracting parties will put in place an ambitious and modern framework to deepen and widen EU-Mexico political dialogue, cooperation and economic relations and they will propote the growth potential for EU agri-food exports to Mexico and progressive rules on sustainable development. In other words, the modernized free trade agreement will set legally binding commitments on labour rights, environmental protection, climate change and responsible business conduct. Subject to final legal revision, the EU and Mexico will now proceed with their respective procedures for conclusion and ratification. According to the text…
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2024 a New Year of customs challenges
The 2023 has been an year very rich in customs news which will impat on the custom operations and compliance. We would list the following topics already published in our website: CBAM carbon border adjustments mechanism for which it is required to: 1) take into account HS codes;2) supply chain management; 3) special regimes; 4) made in/non-preferential origin; 5) customs value; The European regulantion on f-gases import; The due diligence on some goods (cattle,cocoa,palm oil, rubber, soya, wood,coffee) with specific focus on “deforestation and forest degradation”; The ecodesign, recycle and second life for batteries manufactured and imported into the EU; The free trade agreement with the New Zealand; The free…
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EAC, Kenya and EU: Economic Partnership Agreement with a specific focus on sustainable development
On 8 December 2023, Eu Commission published the draft of the “Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union, of the one part, and the Republic of Kenya, Member of the East African Community, of the other part” by means of the interinstitutional Files 2023/0337 (NLE) and 2023/0338 (NLE). This agreement will cover the following topics: (a) general provisions; (b) trade in goods; (c) fisheries; (d) agriculture; (e) economic and development cooperation; (f) institutional provisions; (g) dispute avoidance and settlement; (h) general exceptions; (i) general and final provisions; and (j) Annexes, Protocols and Joint Statements. Before going deeper with the short check of the available documents, it is useful to recall…
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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