The European Union has recently launched multiple new trade policy measures. The 3E Research Centre of the Brussels School of Governance, the Ghent Institute for International and European Studies and CCEEL of the University of Eastern Finland are organising a series of four public policy forums, where distinguished experts will discuss the rationales, functioning and potential consequences of the new measures – are we witnessing a more unilateralist EU?
Policy Forum 4: Unilateralisation and geopolitics - Thu 10 November 2022, 16:00-17:30
Speakers: C. Brown (DG Trade), F. Hoffmeister (EEAS), M-P Vedrenne (MEP, Renew Europe). Moderator: Prof. Ferdi de Ville
Policy measures:
- Enforcement Regulation (ER)
- Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI)
- Foreign Investment Screening Mechanism (FISM)
The final session discusses three instruments that are introduced to safeguard EU policy decisions from geopolitically motivated actions by third country governments. The updated ER allows the EU to retaliate against alleged unfair trade actions by third countries in case a dispute settlement procedure is blocked; the ACI allows the EU to respond to trade actions by third countries that aim to illegitimately influence EU or member state policy decision; while the FISM strengthens member states’ screening of the potential risks of incoming investment. This panel will discuss inter alia to what extent the EU’s new geopolitically-motivated instruments can be considered to be purely defensive and how third countries might respond to them.
This session will take place in an online format: please register here.
Programme
16.00 – 16.10 Welcome
- Prof. Ferdi de Ville, Ghent Institute for International and European Studies
16.10 – 16.25 A geopolitical EU
- Colin Brown, Head of Unit, DG
16.25 – 16.40 Commentary
- Frank Hoffmeister, General Counsel, the European External Action Service
- Marie-Pierre Vedrenne (MEP, Renew Europe)
16.40-17.10 Panel discussion
17.10 – 17.30 Q & A with the audience
Organised as a part of the Jean Monnet Chair ECOvalence (Grant 101085564)
