Human Rights in EU Trade Policy

2021 ◽  
pp. 645-681
Author(s):  
Jan Wouters ◽  
Michal Ovádek
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Trade Policy ◽  
Critical Analysis ◽  
Bilateral Trade ◽  
Trade Negotiations ◽  
External Trade ◽  
Early Assessment ◽  
Treaty Of Lisbon ◽  
Trade Relations

This chapter explores the role of human rights in EU trade policy. Ever since the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon in 2009, the EU has made the promotion of human rights an integral part of its trade relations with third countries. It has done so by requiring all external trade, cooperation, partnership, and association agreements, including unilateral preference regimes, to incorporate a variety of human rights commitments. After briefly sketching the general nexus between human rights and trade, the chapter outlines the gradual integration of human rights priorities into EU trade policy. It then provides a critical analysis of the various ways in which these commitments and strategic priorities have been operationalised through unilateral preference regimes as well as through regional and bilateral trade agreements, and includes an early assessment of the Union's use of sustainability impact assessments for trade negotiations. Finally, the chapter offers some critical remarks on the EU's promotion of human rights in trade.

scholarly journals The Role of Trade Costs in the Russian-Paraguayan Trade Relations

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Valeriia S. Ryzhkova ◽  
Alexandra G. Koval
Keyword(s):  
Latin American ◽  
Bilateral Trade ◽  
Trade Costs ◽  
Cultural Barriers ◽  
Export Diversification ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Trade Relations ◽  
Mutual Interest ◽  
Latin American Countries

The changed geopolitical situation and deterioration of Russia-West relations has induced the expansion of trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Latin American countries. Currently, Paraguay is explicitly showing its readiness to strengthen recently built trade relations with Russia. In order to fuel their increased mutual interest, it is crucial to struggle with impediments that hinder the trade between them. The export potential assessments demonstrate that Russia and Paraguay indeed have potential to intensify bilateral trade, even though the opportunities for export diversification are quite limited. The authors conduct a survey to identify the major trade costs and their role in the development of the Russian-Paraguayan trade relations. The survey findings reveal that transportation and logistics costs significantly impede the exports of both countries as well as information-related obstacles represent the top concern for Russian export companies, while non-tariff measures, language and cultural barriers are relevant for Paraguayan firms. In order to intensify the Russian-Paraguayan commercial relations, the policy makers could deal with these barriers via a higher exchange of market information through different institutional channels.

scholarly journals “Path-Dependency” Effect in Japan-U.S. Trade

2021 ◽  
Vol 65 (11) ◽  
pp. 31-39
Author(s):  
Z. Podoba ◽  
V. Gorshkov
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Foreign Trade ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Bilateral Trade ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
The United States ◽  
Path Dependency ◽  
Trade Negotiations ◽  
Trade Relations ◽  
The U.S

The paper addresses current issues in Japan-U.S. foreign trade following the signing of the Japan-U.S. Trade Agreement and the Japan-U.S. Agreement on Digital Trade in October 2019. By providing an overview of Japan-U.S. trade relations, analyzing current trends in bilateral foreign trade and outlining basic terms of new bilateral agreements, the authors conclude that “path-dependency” in Japan-U.S. contemporary foreign trade persists and trade relations between the two countries are to a greater extent influenced by the U.S. trade policy which aims to assure a broader access of American companies to Japanese markets – the situation that was typical for bilateral trade relations since the 1980s. “Path-dependency” in Japan-U.S. trade relations, conventionally categorized by the existence of numerous trade contradictions, is pronounced in the unchanged goals, strategy and tactics of foreign trade negotiations. The United States maintains its “attacking” role and dominates in the bilateral trade negotiations, while Japan, despite its enhancing influence in the multilateral trading system and regional trade agreements, is forced to “self-defend” and make concessions to a more dominant partner in order to maintain its automobile exports to the United States at the expense of its national interests in other industries, particularly in the agricultural sector. Thus, new trade agreements are unlikely to cause significant structural changes in Japan-U.S. bilateral trade in the shortterm as the problem of persistent trade deficits remains. In order to break the vicious circle of “path-dependency” Japan is to actively cooperate with the economies of the European Union which have large amounts of trade deficits with the U.S., can serve as a mediator in the U.S. – China trade conflicts, as well with other Asian countries via mega-FTAs which possess potential risks to the United States. Further development of foreign trade cooperation will depend on the initiatives of new governments in both countries.

scholarly journals AN EXAMINATION OF RECENT TRENDS, COMPOSITION AND TRADE INTENSITY OF NIGERIA-BRAZIL BILATERAL RELATIONS

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-43
Author(s):  
Kabiru Hannafi Ibrahim
Keyword(s):  
Bilateral Trade ◽  
Trade Flow ◽  
Trade Intensity ◽  
Trade Relations ◽  
Intensity Index ◽  
Bilateral Relations ◽  
Bilateral Trade Flow ◽  
Recent Trends ◽  
High Possibility

This paper examines the trends, composition and trade intensity of Nigeria-Brazil bilateral trade relations for the period 2000-2017. Tables, graphs, and trade intensity index were employed. The results indicate that Nigeria's trade with Brazil has significantly recorded impressive growth. However, the share of major products exported to Brazil over the period remained insignificant with the exception of mineral fuels. The results further show that the share of major products imported from Brazil is significant, indicating that Brazilian exports to Nigeria are more diversified than that of Nigeria's export to Brazil. The trade intensity index indicates high trade intensities between the countries and the high possibility of increasing bilateral trade flow. Based on these findings, the study recommends the need for Nigeria’s export to be restructured in order to reduce the prevailing role of mineral fuels to Nigeria's exports through diversification and identification of new export opportunities in Brazilian markets.

scholarly journals The ‘Ordinariness’ of the eu’s Foreign Policy Power: The Use of wto Litigation as a Means to Export eu Norms, Values and Interests

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-165
Author(s):  
Billy Melo Araujo
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Trade Policy ◽  
World Trade Organization ◽  
World Trade ◽  
Dispute Settlement ◽  
External Trade ◽  
Norms And Values

The eu has historically been portrayed as a distinctive international actor in terms of both the norms and values it exports in the context of its international relations and the manner in which it seeks to influence others. However, such claims to the eu’s distinctiveness are increasingly being questioned. This article joins this chorus of voices arguing the non-distinctiveness of the eu’s foreign policy power by focusing on a specific feature of the eu’s external trade policy, the role of World Trade Organization (wto) dispute settlement in the eu’s attempts to promote its interests, values and norms.

Bilateralism and Multilateralism: Taiwan's Trade Liberalization Trajectory

2009 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chen-wei Huang
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Final Section ◽  
Bilateral Trade ◽  
Bush Administration ◽  
The United States ◽  
Trade Negotiations ◽  
Multilateral Trade ◽  
Bilateral Trading

AbstractWhether or not bilateralism and regionalism have threatened multilateralism has been debated in the literature. In recent years, the United States has argued that the increasing numbers of regional and bilateral trading arrangements made under the Bush administration are 'complementary' to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Accordingly, the case of Taiwan's bilateral trade negotiations with the United States and its accession to the WTO provide a useful case study for examining the relations between bilateralism and multilateralism. This article not only aims to study the role of bilateralism and multilateralism in Taiwan's liberalization process, it also seeks to compare the two types of trade diplomacy in terms of power relations, decision-making and negotiation, and the influence of negotiation on economic liberalization. The article is divided into three sections: the first section focuses on US–Taiwan bilateral trade negotiations during the 1970s and 1980s; the second section mainly discusses the process of Taiwan's WTO accession; and the final section examines Taiwan's bilateral and multilateral trade diplomacy after its accession.

Will India's Disengaging Trade Policy Restrict it From Playing a Greater Global Role?

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Amitendu Palit
Keyword(s):  
Trade Policy ◽  
Bilateral Trade ◽  
Trade Policies ◽  
External Trade ◽  
Strategic Influence ◽  
Open Trade ◽  
Global Affairs ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Middle Powers ◽  
Rates Of Growth

Abstract India's ambition of playing a prominent role in regional and global affairs has been particularly visible since the assumption of office by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2014. The ambition has resulted in India's external engagement, abandoning the posturing of non-alignment for a more proactive multi-alignment strategy. Its efforts to engage with major powers such as the US and China, as well as other global middle powers such as Japan, the UK, and Australia, have been positioned on rapid economic progress, enabled by one of the fastest rates of growth among major economies. Attempts to expand global strategic influence, a natural outcome of robust economic expansion, should have seen India pursuing an aggressive outward-oriented external trade policy for increasing its share in global trade. India, though, has shown a marked resistance to open trade, including being reluctant to engage in regional and bilateral trade negotiations. This paper examines the dichotomy between India's desire to play a prominent global role and its aversion to open trade policies. Attributing the inward-looking approach to lack of competitiveness of Indian industry, absence of domestic pro-trade constituencies, and discomfort in negotiating new-generation trade issues, the paper argues India's quest for greater global strategic influence might be adversely affected by its restrictive trade policies.

scholarly journals MULTILATERALISM OR BILATERALISM: THE EU TRADE POLICY IN AN AGE OF THE WTO CRISIS

Ekonomika ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 92 (3) ◽  
pp. 7-23
Author(s):  
Anna Wróbel
Keyword(s):  
Trade Policy ◽  
World Trade ◽  
World Economy ◽  
Bilateral Trade ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
World Trade Organisation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Trade Relations ◽  
The World ◽  
The Eu

Abstract. The aim of the study is to analyze the EU trade policy in the age of the World Trade Organization (WTO) crisis. In addition to the WTO membership and a number of international agreements within this organisation, the EU is a party to many bilateral trade agreements and negotiating further. It is the side effect of the protracted negotiations in the WTO under the Doha Development Round. The paper discusses the process of proliferation of bilateral trade agreements in the world economy and its importance for the EU. The article is divided into three parts. Part One identifies the determinants of the WTO crisis. Part Two discusses the process of proliferation of bilateral trade agreements in the world economy. Part Three analyzes the EU trade policy and the system of the EU preferential trade agreements. It also examines trade relations of the EU with the Republic of Korea, India, and the United States of America as an illustration of the new EU trade strategy.Key words: bilateralism, European Union, common commercial policy, World Trade Organisation

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