Brussels, 25/11/2015 (Agence Europe) - Preparatory work for the tenth ministerial WTO conference, TTIP negotiations, free trade negotiations with Mercosur, Japan and the other ASEAN countries, relations with China and the situation of the European steel industry, the EU's new trade strategy and negotiations with Russia on implementing the EU-Ukraine free trade agreement - these are all current issues that feature on the agenda of the unique session of the Foreign Affairs/Trade Council under the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of Ministers of the EU, which is to be held in Brussels on 27 November.
Trade strategy. The ministers will adopt conclusions on the EU's trade policy in the light of the strategy proposed by the European Commission in October. This is based on a more responsible approach and a programme which is greatly geared towards to the markets of the Asia-Pacific area (see EUROPE 11410).
WTO/Doha. The ministers will also discuss preparations for the tenth ministerial conference of the WTO in Nairobi (Kenya) on 15-18 December. The Commission will report on the discussions under way as part of the Doha round, and will give its assessment of an acceptable result at Nairobi on this subject and on the work for post-Nairobi. Decisions are being prepared at the Geneva-based WTO on: - issues linked to development and to the least developed countries (LDCs); - the export competition pillar of the agricultural section of the Doha round (see EUROPE 11435); - the improvement of transparency rules on anti-dumping measures, subsidies and subsidies to fisheries, regional trade agreements and national rules on services. A meeting of the Foreign Affairs/Trade Council will take place on the sidelines of the Nairobi meeting on 15 December.
TTIP. The Council will assess the latest developments and the next stages of the EU-US trade negotiations (TTIP) which entered a more political phase at the 11th round of negotiations in Miami in October, where the parties exchanged their revised tariff offers (see EUROPE 11407). Revised offers on public procurement are due to be exchanged at the next session of talks in early 2016. In October, the EU also sent the US side its proposal on sustainable development (see EUROPE 11426) and for a reformed approach on investment protection and a new more transparent system for regulating disputes between investors and states (see EUROPE 11429). The objective is still to finalise an agreement before the end of the current US administration's mandate at the end of 2016.
Mercosur. The ministers will review the free trade negotiations between the EU and Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela). The Commission will report on the outlook for progress with a view to an agreement, and will give is assessment of a possible exchange of offers on market access (agriculture, industry, services and public procurement) in the coming months. European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström and Paraguay's Foreign Affairs Minister Eladio Loizaga, reviewed these negotiations on 19 November (see EUROPE 11434) after a technical level meeting in Asuncion at the start of October, which enabled an exchange of additional information on the content of their respective offers. The EU and Mercosur agreed at the ministerial level on 11 June to proceed to an exchange of offers when the conditions have been met.
Japan. The Council will also review the negotiations for an EU-Japan free trade agreement launched in March 2013. Progress has been slow since the last bilateral summit at the end of May but the parties remain committed to concluding an agreement in 2016. The 12th round of technical level talks is planned in Tokyo in mid-September (see EUROPE 11392).
South East Asia. The Council will discuss the various free trade negotiations that are under way with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). It will assess the agreement recently concluded with Vietnam (see EUROPE 11372). The future negotiations with the Philippines, the negotiations on hold with Malaysia and Thailand, the trade strategy with regard to the ASEAN bloc and the negotiations for an investment agreement with Burma/Myanmar (see EUROPE 11254) will also be discussed.
Russia-Ukraine. The Council will also review the trilateral consultations with Ukraine and Russia about the upcoming implementation of the EU-Ukraine free trade agreement on 1 January 2016. A three-way ministerial meeting is planned in Brussels on 1 December (see EUROPE 11436).
Steel. The Council will discuss the crisis in the European steel industry on the basis of the conclusions of the extraordinary meeting of the Competitiveness Council on 9 November (see EUROPE 11427).
China. Over dinner, and in connection with the discussion on the steel industry, the ministers will assess recent developments in trade relations with China. Their discussion is expected to cover the issue of granting China market economy status, barriers to trade in China, and the EU's trade defence in the face of unfair Chinese practices, as well as negotiations for an EU-China investment agreement (see EUROPE 11406). (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)