20 March 2025 - Insight Brussels
This e-book (sub-titled Assessing Prometheus?) arises out of a High-Level Policy dialogue, sponsored, amongst others, by Herbert Smith Freehills, that took place on 10-11 January, 2024, in Turin.
The goal of the dialogue and now the book is to better understand the current evolution of EU trade policy and the governance role the EU plays and, and could in future play, in international trade affairs. The authors speculate on the EU’s action in an increasingly geopolitical world, its relationship with multilateralism and the World Trade Organisation (“WTO”), the evolution of Preferential Trade Agreements (“PTAs”), in particular with respect to sustainability issues, the increasing use of unilateral or “autonomous” instruments. Far than offering a final assessment, which is both difficult and premature, the e-book offers rich food for thought. What emerges is the ambivalent nature of current EU trade policy, both innovative and controversial, which makes it resemble the mythological figure of Prometheus and what it represents.
It includes the article by our International Trade Consultant in Brussels, Eric White, that we published in July 2024 examining how and why the focus of EU trade policy has changed in recent times and what this means for future EU action.
Other articles are by Elisa Baroncini, Professor of International Law at the University of Bologna, Ignacio Garcia-Bercero, formerly of the European Commission and now non-resident Fellow at Bruegel, Brussels, Cecilia Malmström, formerly EU Commissioner for Home Affairs and Trade and now a non-resident senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, Petros C. Mavroidis, Edwin B. Parker professor of Law at Columbia Law School, New York, Reinhard Quick, honorary professor for international economic law at Saarland University, Saarbrücken and Luca Rubini, Associate Professor of International Law at the University of Milan and Faculty Member of the Centre for Transnational Legal Studies in London.
Disclaimer
The articles published on this website, current at the dates of publication set out above, are for reference purposes only. They do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Specific legal advice about your specific circumstances should always be sought separately before taking any action.