February 2023 report on the progress of Ukrainian grains exports to Africa

February 2023 report on the progress of Ukrainian grains exports to Africa

Τhe February report on the outcome of the project “Repairing Broken Food Trade Routes Ukraine – Africa”.

Ιt covers:

– Impact of war on fertiliser prices. Overview of the last 12 months

– Sunflower oil market impact by 12 months of the invasion

– Stolen lands, stolen grains. Losses than Russia inflicted on Ukraine since 2014 in context of global food security

Read more here

Brown Bag Seminar “Sustainable Development: Is WTO Part of the Problem?”

Brown Bag Seminar “Sustainable Development: Is WTO Part of the Problem?”

Christian Häberli, WTI Fellow and MATS legal advisor, will speak at the World Trade Institute: are the WTO and the multilateral trading system sustainable?

A lot of criticism continues to abound even after the self-claimed success of MC13. There are the obvious grievances about the lack of dispute settlement and the lack of real negotiations. Businesses and NGOs point out the shortcomings in their fields of interest. Arthur Appleton and & Patrick Macrory find problems just about everywhere and make suggestions on how to fix them (2022, Kluwer Law International BV). Other scholars (Aaronson, Baldwin, Evenett, Howse, Mavroidis, Orden et al) argue that WTO has become part of the problem. Not only because of the stalled agriculture and other negotiations, or the incompatibility of the present WTO non-discrimination rules with the Climate Agreement “differentiation” obligation. The pandemic, the energy crisis, and other wars failed to move the debate in Geneva forward for even one inch.

Basically, there seems to be a consensus – outside of WTO – that the multilateral trading system is not sustainable. This raises the question whether Trade Ministry representatives masterminding all WTO proceedings are unable or unwilling to review the present rules? Could scholars or adjudicators find compelling reasons to consider non-international economic law in their assessment of a claim of non-sustainability?

My article will focus on agricultural trade (Working Title: “Agricultural Trade Rules – Where are you?”), but this lecture starts with a lot of context outside agriculture. Yet it will not join the blame game. I only propose to accept the present shortcomings in international trade and investment governance as a leverage for reforms negotiated by those who matter: WTO Member governments, and parliaments.

CSD on EU-Africa trade and investment relations – 17th of March 2023

CSD on EU-Africa trade and investment relations – 17th of March 2023

The aim of this meeting is to discuss with EU civil society the latest developments in EU-Africa trade and investment relations and exchange views on EU trade and investment policy in Africa.  The Trade Policy Review Communication published by the European Commission in February 2021 confirmed the importance of Africa in the EU’s trade policy. It proposed to enhance further sustainable trade and investment links, both between the EU and Africa and in Africa itself, while also strengthening existing regional integration processes. The link to the online event, as well as further details, are available here

Speakers

  • African, Caribbean, and Pacific, Overseas Countries and Territories Unit Directorate-General for Trade, European Commission.

Moderator

Civil Society Coordination – Transparency, Civil society, and Communication Unit, Directorate-General for Trade.

Agenda

  1. Updates on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs)/Associations Agreements (AAs) (trade pillar)
  2. Latest developments in EU-Africa trade and investment relations
  3. Open discussion with stakeholders

Related documents

EU-Angola Sustainable Investment Facilitation Agreement