The European Parliament has voted to approve the Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), as part of a whole range of proposals, including the new CBAM carbon border tariff. The new rules create new trade barriers and bureaucracy for wood imports, and have angered trading partners in South East Asia. 🌳Deforestation Parliament adopts new regulation to fight climate […]
At the end of February, the leaders of Serbia and Kosovo agreed a provisional deal to normalise relations, without however signing it. More talks are planned, with the two leaders, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti, schedulded to meet in North Macedonia’s lakeside city of Ohrid on March 18, under EU
Lars Patrick Berg MEP urges not to forget Kosovo Read More »
This month, ambassadors of seven European Union member states have been meeting with the Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Anisul Huq of Bangladesh in its capital, Dhaka, to discuss the upcoming elections in the country, which will be held in January 2024. This follows a high-profile meeting at the G20 summit in India
EU turns the focus on upcoming elections in Bangladesh Read More »
In a new analysis, leading rating agency S&P Global warns that the EU’s external climate tariff CBAM, which stands for “Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism” will hit developing economies the hardest. It explains: “Phasing in from 2026, CBAM will levy a carbon tax on imports of selected energy intensive materials and products into the EU, removing
“Developing economies hit hardest by EU’s carbon border tax” Read More »
By Pieter Cleppe After Liz Truss’s brief interlude as British prime minister, the British Conservative Party is still struggling. In the opinion polls, the Tories are no less than 24 percentage points behind the Labour opposition. The new prime minister, Rishi Sunak, and 15 of his ministers even risk losing their seats in the upcoming
The Brexit debate continues Read More »
Tensions between the EU and South East Asia over its deforestation now also affecting trade ties. By the end of 2023, the EU aims to agree the Indonesia-EU Comprehensive Trade Agreement (IEU-CEPA). According to EU ambassador Vincent Piket, this is being complicated by the EU’s deforestation regulation. He stated: “We have lots of explaining to
Indonesia and Malaysia to send joint delegation to Brussels to address trade tensions Read More »
Despite warming relations between the European Union (EU) and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a series of geopolitical, environmental and legal flashpoints could derail progress in 2023. On 14 December, EU and ASEAN leaders met for a summit in Brussels for the first time, signalling how significantly relations have improved over the past
More hindrances to a good relationship between the EU and South East Asia Read More »
By Pieter Cleppe Qatar has warned that the EU’s handling of a corruption scandal in the European Parliament threatens ongoing discussions around energy security, following allegiations that Qatar and Morocco sought to bribe EU legislators to influence policy. Four people have reportedly been charged with corruption, money laundering and being part of a criminal gang after
Qatar warns EU over corruption probe Read More »
At the EU-ASEAN Summit last week, Indonesian President Jokowi (picture) lashed out at the EU, issuing a warning related to the EU’s new Deforestation Regulation, suggesting that the EU should not attempt to dictate its standards to ASEAN if it wants to maintain its relationship with Indonesia going forward. He said: “There must be no
Tensions between EU and South East Asia during EU-ASEAN Summit Read More »
The Council, Commission and European Parliament are currently finalising new EU legislation on mandatory due diligence to stop deforestation in supply chains. In September, the European Parliament already voted to substantially tighten up the European Commission’s original proposal, which entails requiring companies to check whether goods sold in the EU have not been produced on
Tensions between EU and South East Asia over EU legislation deemed to ‘increase poverty’ Read More »