Egmont – Royal Institute for International Relations in Brussels has published a policy paper so that the EU can adapt its trade policy to the new geopolitical context.
The author of the paper, Sjorre Couvreur identifies flaws in European trade policy. He denounces, for example, the fact that Member States had weakened the regulation on screening foreign investments a few years ago. In his opinion, the EU27 are preparing to do the same with the future anti-coercion instrument (see EUROPE 13064/15).
Sjorre Couvreur recommends that the European Commission consult Member States on these security-related policy initiatives further in advance. This could be done, for example, through a new ‘Trade-Security Forum’ within the EU Council’s Trade Policy Committee. In his opinion, this would increase “trust, inclusion, and an esprit de corps on trade-security”.
He also suggests there be greater coordination between the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Trade. “By having a stronger entente on trade-security policies, the EU could bring together the available expertise and means to realise more of its geoeconomic potential,” insists Mr Couvreur.
See the Egmont Institute’s policy paper: https://aeur.eu/f/46n (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)