'concrete' negotiations during last round of negotiations on a comprehensive investment agreement

25/03/2019 (Agence Europe) – The European Commission published the summary of the 20^th round of negotiation on the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investments on the 25 to 27 February. According to the institution, “overall, the exchanges were constructive and the level of engagement was high on both sides”. This round enabled concrete negotiations to take place on market access issues based on offers negotiated in the margins of the 20^th EU-China Summit (see EUROPE 12063/1). Specific discussions were held on financial services and certain sectoral disciplines, as well as settling investor-state disputes. The Commission is calling for accelerated work on state-to-state disputes. It also notes the “considerable time and effort” spent on subjects related to the issue of reciprocity, such as national treatment and other policy issues. The next round will take place in Beijing in June 2019. (HD)