The European Parliament has voted to approve the new EU Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP), completing the legislative process for the scheme’s entry into application on 1 January 2027. The GSP provides preferential tariff access to developing countries exporting to the EU. This represents a significant update to the EU’s unilateral trade preference framework.
Topic Archives:Market Access
EU-Mercosur Interim Trade Agreement Enters Provisional Application
The EU-Mercosur Interim Trade Agreement (ITA) begins provisional application on 1 May 2026, enabling EU producers, exporters, and farmers to immediately access the deal’s benefits. This marks a major milestone in one of the world’s largest FTAs, covering trade in goods, tariffs, and market access between the EU and Mercosur bloc.
Commission welcomes political agreement on implementation of EU-US trade deal
The European Commission welcomed a political agreement between the European Parliament and Council on two Regulations to eliminate tariffs on all US industrial goods and grant preferential market access for certain US agricultural and seafood products. This implements the EU-US trade deal framework. The agreement covers both tariff elimination and agricultural/seafood access provisions.
EU and Mexico Sign Modernised Global Agreement and Interim Trade Agreement at Historic Summit
The EU and Mexico signed the Modernised Global Agreement (MGA) and an interim Trade Agreement (iTA) at a bilateral summit. This represents a significant upgrade to the existing EU-Mexico trade relationship. Details of tariff schedules, market access commitments, and other provisions are expected within the full agreement text.
Call for Input on Goods for Cost-of-Living Tariff Suspensions
The UK government is consulting on potential tariff suspensions covering agricultural goods, fertilisers, and kerosene, aimed at mitigating consumer cost pressures linked to the Middle East conflict. The call for input seeks stakeholder views on which goods should be covered. This is a formal policy consultation with specific product categories named.
2026 Sixth Taiwan-U.S. Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue Concludes with Seven Key Agreements
Taiwan and the U.S. held their 6th Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue (EPPD) on January 27, 2026, the first in-person meeting since the dialogue launched in 2020. The two sides signed a Joint Statement and reached seven key agreements covering areas of bilateral economic cooperation. Specific policy outcomes were recorded across multiple trade and economic domains.
Taiwan and Marshall Islands Hold ECA Preparatory Meeting to Deepen Economic and Trade Partnership
Taiwan and the Marshall Islands held a preparatory meeting on April 8, 2026 for the ministerial-level Joint Committee under their Economic Cooperation Agreement (ECA), which entered into force in January 2025. The ECA covers investment, customs, and intellectual property, and the Joint Committee will institutionalize ongoing trade dialogue. The meeting marks an early implementation step […]
United States and Mexico Conclude First Bilateral Round of USMCA Joint Review
The US and Mexico held their first bilateral round of the USMCA Joint Review in Mexico City, with US negotiators focused on reducing the trade deficit and strengthening supply chains. Discussions covered priority issues under the agreement’s six-year review mechanism. No specific outcomes or agreed measures were announced from this initial round.
USTR Announces Section 301 Investigation of Vietnam’s Intellectual Property Practices
USTR Jamieson Greer has initiated a Section 301 investigation into Vietnam’s intellectual property protection and enforcement practices, following Vietnam’s designation as a Priority Foreign Country in the 2026 Special 301 Report published April 30. The investigation will assess whether Vietnam’s IP-related acts, policies, and practices are actionable under the Trade Act of 1974. This could […]
USTR Section 301 Determination on Brazil’s Unreasonable Acts, Policies, and Practices
USTR has made a formal Section 301 determination that Brazil’s acts, policies, and practices are unreasonable, covering digital trade and electronic payment services, preferential tariffs, anti-corruption enforcement, IP protection, ethanol market access, and illegal deforestation. This determination under the Trade Act of 1974 could lead to retaliatory trade measures against Brazil. The action spans multiple […]