Likely Major Policy Developments President-Elect Trump will enter the White House facing a dramatic decline in global trade growth. A recent World Trade Organization (WTO) report notes that 2016 marks the slowest pace of trade and output growth since the 2008 financial crisis. WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo called slowing trade growth “a wake-up call,” … Continue Reading
On 12 August, a WTO dispute settlement panel confirmed that Russian import duties on paper, refrigerators and palm oil violate WTO rules. According to the panel, the import duties exceed those Russia agreed to when it joined the WTO in August 2012. This marks the first case ever decided in the WTO against Russia. The EU has initiated dispute settlement … Continue Reading
On 1 August, during a phone conversation with President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, UK Prime Minister Theresa May confirmed that the position of the UK as regards sanctions against Russia was “unchanged following the UK’s Brexit vote in June”. The Prime Minister further added that sanctions will remain until Russia fully complies with its obligations under the Minsk agreements.… Continue Reading
The U.S. Congress returns to Washington on Tuesday after a six-week recess. On Monday, Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tennessee) issued a statement on the perceived lack of strong U.S. leadership, setting the stage for potentially-increased Republican oversight this fall: Just as we saw our allies in Europe dissing us over the … Continue Reading
G-7 Leaders’ Declaration. The G-7 Leaders’ Declaration issued on Friday from Ise-Shima, Japan, touched on topics such as the global economy, trade, maritime security, cyberspace, anti-corruption, infrastructure, global health challenges, climate change and female empowerment. The Leaders advocated TPP member states ratify the agreement, while also addressing the global excess steel capacity issue, government subsidies … Continue Reading
The Order came into force on 6 May 2016 and sets out the penalties and licences related to the UK’s Iranian sanctions. It also amends Export Control Orders relating to Russia, Crimea, Sevastopol and the Central African Republic.… Continue Reading
Saturday, 16 January 2016, marked Implementation Day of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between the E3/EU+3 (China, France, Germany, the Russian Federation, UK and US, in conjunction with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy) and the Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran). On Implementation Day, the International … Continue Reading
The Senate was in session last week, while the House of Representatives (“the House”) remained in recess in observance of the Martin Luther King holiday. Implementation Day of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran took effect, as did a prisoner swap last week. Washington’s attention then quickly shifted to an impending historic … Continue Reading
