While the EU Trade Ministers reported on progress in the negotiations on the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment with China, the German EU Council Presidency, on Monday 9 November, pointed out that not everything is won.
The EU Council calls on its potential partner to work on market access, which is currently unsatisfactory for the EU. “Our market is much more open to Chinese companies than the other way round”, said EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis. He also underlined the progress to be made in terms of sustainable development and transparency of national subsidies.
While the initial objective was, and remains, to conclude an agreement before the end of 2020, this possibility seems to be moving further and further away. “In terms of a timetable, it is still possible to finalise the agreement before the end of the year, but the substance of the agreement takes precedence over the timetable. We really need a good agreement in substance”, Dombrovskis said.
The 34th round of negotiations will take place from 16 to 20 November 2020. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)