EU Member States are currently considering signing the free trade agreement (FTA) with Canada this month, but the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) is not the only deal the EU is working on.

While various deals are being negotiated all over the globe, they can only enter into force if the European Parliament approves them.

The European Parliament has given an overview of all the negotiations that are in progress and a discussion of how it works:

The EU has different types of agreements in place with countries. They can focus on reducing or eliminating tariff barriers or establishing a customs union by removing customs duties and establishing a joint customs tariff for foreign imports.

It’s not all about tariffs. It could also be about investment and how to deal with disputes involving investment. For example when a company feels a decision by a government is affecting its investment in that country.

Non-tariff barriers are also vital such as product standards (for example the EU has banned certain hormones in cattle farming over health fears).

CETA

The negotiations for CETA finished in September 2014 and the agreement was discussed at the EU summit last week in view of its potential signing later this month.

However, Parliament will still need to approve it before it can ultimately enter into force. The International Trade Committee is set to vote on the trade deal in December and then all MEPs will still have to vote on it during a plenary session. If approved, CETA could already enter into force next year.

Regarding other trade agreements, negotiations in the following are ongoing, but not yet in force:

  • East African Countries
  • Ecuador
  • Singapore
  • Vietnam
  • West Africa

Ongoing negotiations

The Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the United States has proved very controversial over concerns over product standards and the resolution of investment disputes.

Since July 2013 there have already been 15 rounds of negotiations, with the latest negotiation round taking place earlier this month.

In Asia negotiations are ongoing for:

  • Malaysia (about halfway, but most difficult issues remain to be resolved).
  • Indonesia (next round of negotiations expected to take place in the first quarter of 2017).
  • Thailand (four negotiation rounds so far, but no new ones have been scheduled).
  • Philippines (next round due to take place before the end of the year).
  • Japan (possibility it could still be concluded this year).
  • Myanmar (four rounds of negotiation, but no date set yet for next round).
  • India (no negotiations at the moment, but discussions on outstanding issues continue).

The trade deal which is probably of most interest to Irish farmers in the Mercosur trade deal with the latest round of negotiations taking place this month.

The second negotiation round for an agreement with Mexico is to be held in November.

Meanwhile looking to the southern Mediterranean and Middle East, there are various agreements, including association agreements with eight countries to especially boost trade in goods.

Also there are talks on expanding these agreements in areas such as agriculture and industrial standards with individual countries.

There are no other free trade negotiations ongoing, but there are other talks as well such as negotiations for a comprehensive EU-China investment agreement.

This was launched in November 2013 and the latest negotiation round took place in September.

There’s also the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA), a trade agreement currently being negotiated by 23 members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), including the EU.

Together, the participating countries account for 70% of world trade in services. There have already been 14 negotiation rounds.

Source: European Parliament