As planned, the heads of state or government held a “strategic” discussion on EU trade policy and its challenges during their dinner on Thursday 21 October in Brussels.
They focused on the difficulties surrounding the negotiation of free trade agreements and their ratification (see EUROPE 12816/4). According to a senior European official, Member States agreed on the need to “communicate in a positive way the added value” of trade, and the EU’s values of openness.
While they see trade, among other things, as an instrument to promote EU principles and standards, EU leaders also said that “transparency should be added to the negotiations”, according to the same source. At stake is the acceptance by the public and national parliamentarians of the decisions taken.
The agreements with China and Mercosur are struggling to find support in the European Parliament, but also in national and regional parliaments.
European leaders reiterated, as well, their willingness to engage with their “major partners”, such as the United States and South America.
See the European Council conclusions: https://bit.ly/3B6Abnv (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)