Finance & Trade

European Businesses Split on Carbon Tax

March 02, 2017

An article in Bloomberg reveals a split between some European utility and energy companies on the need for European leaders to pursue a global trend, urged on by the UN and environmental activists, to set a minimum tax on the price of greenhouse gas emissions to encourage the development of alternative energy sources.
Report: Brexit Will Aid EU-India Trade Deal

March 02, 2017

Revealing a potential silver lining to the impact of the UK's exit from the EU on the bloc's trade policy, The Guardian reports that a document circulated in the European Parliament predicts that it will be easier to negotiate an EU trade deal with India after Brexit given India's desire to maintain tariffs on Scotch whiskey and migration barriers in the UK.
Norway Seeks Inclusion in Brexit Deal

March 02, 2017

The Independent reports that Norway's EU minister, Frank Bakke-Jensen, has announced his government's intention to seek inclusion in any trade arrangements agreed between the UK and the EU following Brexit.
Shipping Industry Criticizes EU Emissions Plan

March 01, 2017

In an ongoing conflict over which transnational body should regulate the greenhouse gas emissions of the shipping industry, the International Chamber of Shipping has called on EU member states to reject proposals to include the shipping sector in EU carbon emissions framework and to leave regulation of such emissions to the UN's shipping agency.
EU Parliament Ratifies Long-Awaited CETA

February 24, 2017

The New York Times reports that, "after seven years of tortuous negotiations," the European Parliament has ratified the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), leaving the final step of ratifying the deal to national and some regional parliaments across the EU.
Irish Official Predicts Post-Brexit Border Deal

February 21, 2017

In testimony before the UK Parliament's Northern Ireland Select Committee, Irish Ambassador to the UK Daniel Mulhall asserted that it would not be "remotely possible" to establish a "hard border," including customs checks and the prevention of the free movement of people, between Ireland and Northern Ireland following the UK's exit from the EU.
UK Draws up Contingency Plans for Brexit

February 21, 2017

Politico reports that Jim Harra, a director general at the UK's revenue and customs agency, has briefed Members of Parliament on contingency plans under development by the British Government for falling back on World Trade Organization rules in case the UK does not reach a favorable customs deal with the EU by the time of Brexit.
US Congress Considers UK Trade Plans

February 14, 2017

At a recent hearing of a US congressional committee on the prospects of a post-Brexit trade deal with the UK, Daniel Hamilton of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced and International Studies warned that Britain's focus on developing a trade and investment deal with the EU could, along with other factors, delay the progress of similar trade talks with the US.
EU Report Calls for Deal with UK on Finance Access

February 14, 2017

The Guardian reports that an analysis from the European Parliament's committee on economic and monetary affairs calls for the negotiation of a regulatory "equivalence" regime to permit the British financial services sector to maintain access to EU markets after Brexit and to prevent a negative hit to the EU economy after the UK leaves the bloc.
NGO Promotes EU Centralization of Finance Policy

February 03, 2017

The Centre for International Governance Innovation has produced a report calling for the completion of the EU Capital Markets Union and European Deposit Insurance Scheme, which would centralize governance of financial institutions in EU structures, to improve European financial policy.