scholarly journals From bottom of the pyramid to top priority: Explaining Asia in the EU’s Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Strategy

Author(s):  
Maria Garcia

Over the past two decades the economic relations between the European Union and Asia have increased exponentially, yet policy responses have lagged behind. Tracing EU official documents since the mid-1990s, this paper shows how the EU continues to perceive its position in Asia as weak, and how it has been shaped by USA actions in the region, and competitiveness concerns. The paper focuses on current trends in free trade agreement negotiations and argues that the EU’s policy has been guided by fear of competition with the USA, and to a lesser extent with Japan and China. A short case study section compares the EU and USA FTAs with South Korea (the only ones finalized thus far) and shows how their similar content reveals a game of competition and of preventing future discrimination. A final section draws some implications from this case study for ongoing negotiations in the region.

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (Fall 2021) ◽  
pp. 193-211
Author(s):  
Kaan Yiğenoğlu

This article scrutinizes relations between economic diplomacy and free trade agreements by focusing on the Turkey-UK free trade agreements which came into force in 2021. Accordingly, the article first introduces the concept of economic diplomacy, an important issue as it has been shown that bilateral trade agreements, nowadays preferred by many countries, can be used as a tool of economic diplomacy. The article then discusses the history and development of free trade agreements signed by Turkey, including its long-running experience of economic integration with the European Union. Although Turkey began establishing free trade agreements in the 1990s, it has been concentrating on and accelerating its use since 2000. Based on economic and political reasons underlying the free economic agreements, the reasons why Turkey and the UK have reached such an agreement are summarized. Economic relations between the two countries are then analyzed and the details of the agreement are investigated in the context of the changes that it provides.


2018 ◽  
Vol 77 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-32
Author(s):  
Rumiana Yotova

ON 16 May 2017, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) delivered its Opinion 2/15 concerning the competence of the EU to conclude the Free Trade Agreement with Singapore (EUSFTA) (ECLI:EU:C:2017:376). The Opinion was requested by the Commission which argued, with the support of the European Parliament (EP), that the EU had exclusive competence to conclude the EUSFTA. The Council and 25 of the Member States countered that the EUSFTA should be concluded as a mixed agreement – that is, by the EU and each of its members – because some of its provisions fell under the shared competence of the organisation or the competence of the Member States alone.


2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 208-222
Author(s):  
Heidi Stockhaus

The new free trade agreement with the European Union will bring Vietnam’s economic integration to a new level once it enters into force. In the past, the associated economic growth has led to environmental deterioration due to inappropriate regulations and poor enforcement. Currently, environmental problems are visible everywhere and attract the attention of citizens as well as lawmakers. The new free trade agreement establishes a framework for sustainable development in the context of trade and investment. The relevant provisions aim to maintain Vietnam’s right to regulate for the targeted protection level, require the country to take measures to mitigate the pressure on the environment, and open the door for cooperation with the European Union. However, it remains to be seen, whether these provisions balance the risks associated with the increase in trade and investment through the free trade agreement.


Author(s):  
Pasha L. Hsieh

Abstract The article examines the theoretical concept of interregionalism in the context of the evolving framework between the European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). As the EU’s first free trade agreement (FTA) with an ASEAN country, the EU-Singapore FTA is a pathfinder agreement that signifies a new phase of interregionalism and the EU’s new Asia strategy after the Treaty of Lisbon. The article argues that the innovative designs of the EU-Singapore FTA will shape the normative development of EU-ASEAN relations in the post-pandemic era. It also cautions that a comparative analysis of EU and US agreements reveals deficiencies in the FTA that require remedies. To buttress the contention, key provisions on ASEAN cumulative rules of origin, banking and legal services and non-tariff barriers are analysed in light of contemporary Asian agreements. The research further provides insight into the effectiveness of new-generation rules on geographical indications, competition, and investor-state arbitration and mediation. Hence, the findings contribute to the understanding of interregionalism and the EU’s Asia-Pacific trade and investment agreements from global and interdisciplinary perspectives.


Author(s):  
Christina Plank

The non-signing of the association and free trade agreement with the EU by the former Ukrainian president Victor Janukovych triggered the on-going conflict in the Ukraine. By offering a deepening of the political and economic relations with the West, the EU did not consider Russia’s interests in the post-Soviet region. Drawing on Harvey, the article argues that within this process the territorial-geopolitical logic prevails over the capitalist logic of power. Economic interests of the European Union exist, but they are not sufficient to explain the conflict in Eastern Ukraine. Rather, the conflict can be understood as a non-intentional consequence of the EU’s politics concernging the Ukraine. In particular, three sectors – finance, energy and agriculture – are relevant for the EU in Ukraine. However, up to now the European capital factions are facing difficulties in asserting their interests in these sectors due to strong oligarchic structures in the country. Together with the territorial-geopolitical logic of power they have to be taken into account to explain the conflict. Ultimately, the armed conflict in the Eastern Ukraine endangers the EU’s economic ties with Russia. These are more important for the EU than its economic relations with Ukraine. As a result, the territorial-geopolitical logic unfolds as opposed to the capitalist logic in the conflict.


Author(s):  
Detlef Nolte ◽  
Clarissa Correa Ribeiro Neto

Abstract The relations with the European Union (EU) began almost with the Mercosur’s creation. After signing a first framework agreement in 1995, the EU and Mercosur began negotiating a comprehensive interregional partnership with a free trade agreement since 1999. Negotiations were conducted with ups and downs, suspended, and resumed over a period of more than 20 years, and up to Mercosur’s 30th anniversary there is still no free trade agreement ratified with the EU. Based on the broad literature on the relations between the EU and Mercosur (both by European and Latin American authors) and on the analysis of official documents and declarations from the EU and Mercosur, this paper proposes some explanations as to why these negotiations have progressed so slowly and faced so many obstacles.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hendra Manurung

This study aims to elaborate potential effects of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) on the trading of goods and services between the European Union (EU) and Indonesia addressing issues considered to be impeding the conclusion of CEPA negotiations. Suppose the agreement between the EU and Indonesia improve economic relations while creating benefits for both. Indonesia and the EU began negotiation on the CEPA preparation in 2012. The CEPA has been presented as having the ability to help both parties take full advantage of unexploited economic relations. The CEPA is expected to be a comprehensive agreement discussing various aspects of economic relations and moved beyond being a simple agreement for removing trade barriers. The liberalization of international trade in goods remains to be an important aspect of the CEPA, investment promotion and facilitation, the improvement of trade in services, and the creation of improved competition policy practices would promote greater economic relations. Indonesia expects three major contributions from the CEPA, i.e.: First, the most obvious one relates to promotion of increased trade between Indonesia and the EU. The agreement’s focus on trade liberalization will increase the intensity of trade relations by lowering trade barriers, and by facilitating trade; Second, expected contribution concerns the impact of liberalization on trade and investments in services; Third, enhanced technological advance and skills transfer in the goods, services and investment. A free trade agreement between the EU and Indonesia provides a more stable, balanced, and long-term framework to enhance trade and investment.   Keywords: the EU, Indonesia, CEPA, liberalization, free trade     Abstrak     Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menjelaskan potensi efek dari Perjanjian Kemitraan Ekonomi Komprehensif (CEPA) mengenai perdagangan barang dan jasa antara Uni Eropa dan Indonesia, dan dalam penanganan isu-isu utama yang dianggap dapat menghambat perundingan CEPA. Seharusnya kesepakatan antara Uni Eropa dan Indonesia akan memperbaiki dinamika hubungan ekonomi yang ada, sekaligus menciptakan berbagai manfaat bagi keduanya. Indonesia dan Uni Eropa mulai melakukan negosiasi persiapan CEPA di tahun 2012. CEPA digambarkan memampukan kedua belah pihak memanfaatkan sepenuhnya hubungan ekonomi yang tidak saling mengeksploitasi hubungan ekonomi antara Uni Eropa dan Indonesia. CEPA diharapkan menjadi kesepakatan komprehensif dalam membahas berbagai aspek hubungan ekonomi tersebut, dan karenanya telah melampaui kesepakatan sederhana untuk penghapusan hambatan perdagangan. Sementara liberalisasi perdagangan internasional barang tetap sebagai aspek penting CEPA, promosi investasi dan fasilitasi, peningkatan perdagangan jasa, dan penciptaan praktik kebijakan persaingan yang lebih baik dalam promosi hubungan ekonomi yang lebih luas. Indonesia berharap adanya tiga kontribusi utama dari CEPA, yaitu: Pertama, yang paling nyata berkaitan dengan promosi peningkatan perdagangan antara Indonesia dan Uni Eropa. Fokus kesepakatan pada liberalisasi perdagangan dapat meningkatkan intensitas hubungan perdagangan dengan menurunkan berbagai hambatan dagang, dan dengan memfasilitasi perdagangan; Kedua, kontribusi CEPA diharapkan berdampak pada liberalisasi perdagangan dan investasi jasa; Ketiga, peningkatan kemajuan teknologi dan keterampilan di sektor barang, jasa dan investasi. Adanya perjanjian perdagangan bebas (FTA) antara Uni Eropa dan Indonesia akan memberikan kerangka kerjasama yang lebih stabil, seimbang, dan berjangka panjang dalam peningkatan hubungan perdagangan dan investasi antar kawasan.   Kata kunci: Uni Eropa, Indonesia, Perjanjian Kemitraan Ekonomi Komprehensif (CEPA), liberalisasi, pasar bebas


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0256242
Author(s):  
Julieth P. Cubillos T. ◽  
Béla Soltész ◽  
László Vasa

Generally, research and studies about commodities focus on price trends, analysis in terms of international competitiveness, market position structure, rate of net exports, market share, and concentration index. This paper has developed an analysis of the most influential agricultural commodities traded from Colombia to European Union, which are bananas, coffee, and palm oil. Analyzing the economic and commercial effects in two traditional agricultural commodities from Colombia (bananas and coffee) with the rise of palm oil as a commodity in the trade relation with its partner; the European Union. The structure draws from the overview of general aspects and the behavior of Colombian foreign trade, as diversification of export products and trade partners, to focus on the characteristics of the trade relationship between the European Union and Colombia. The aim is analyze the proportional relation between bananas, coffee, and palm oil exported to the EU, according to three indicators, the volume of production, exports share, and trade value, from 2008 until 2019, identifying the trends before and after the implementation of the free trade agreement. Finally, with the coefficient correlation, determine the agricultural commodity that has the strongest and positive relationship with the total agricultural exports value from Colombia to the European Union.


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