Brussels, 18/02/2008 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg was due to discuss two of the main pillars of EU trade policy - trade defence and access to third country markets - in a debate attended by European Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson on Monday evening 18 February. Before voting on the report by Ignasi Guardans Cambo (ALDE, Spain), Parliament was to debate the new dynamic strategy for improving access to third countries proposed by Mandelson in April 2007 (see EUROPE 9409). The Commissioner was then to make a statement (not followed by a European Parliament resolution) on EU trade defence instruments which he has been proposing to review since October 2006. At the start of January, Mandelson postponed his proposals for reform indefinitely (see EUROPE 9579 and 9580). (E.H.)