EC internal market: An opportunity for CMEA countries?

The removal of the internal frontiers within the EC will tend to have a negative effect on trade relations between EC and CMEA countries. The implications of 1992 for trade patterns between the EC and the CMEA are examined in the following article and the role which future EC trade policy could play here is outlined.     

The relationship between CMEA and EC

In early 1970 responsibility for the conclusion of trade agreements was transferred from the individual member states to the EC. Since then the EC has been recognized throughout the world as a contractual partner in its own right within this area. Only the Soviet Union and the CMEA are being difficult accepting these changes in responsibility since 1970. This means that in trade between the EC countries and the state trade countries there exists at present a situation without treaties. Where do the problems lie? What models offer themselves for overcoming this situation?     

Storm Signals: An Analysis of the Trade Policy Review of the European Communities

Trade Policy Review of the European Communities 2004 provides greater transparency, and better understanding of the trade policies of the EC. The WTO Secretariat's Report and the Comments of the Representatives rightly warn of the possibility of major problems arising because of the shortcomings of the Common Agricultural Policy of the EC, and the systematic back‐loading in the implementation of the WTO Agreement on Textiles and Clothing. The discrepancy between the simultaneous allegiance to multilateralism and preferential trade arrangements is another difficulty which the EC and some other members of the WTO are facing. As a major player on the international trade scene, the EC's policy decisions will have a crucial effect on multilateral trade negotiations.     

The international competitiveness of Europe,the USA and Japan

The growing importance of Japan on the world market has brought with it changes in the international division of labour and a shift in the focus of the expansion in world trade away from the EC and the USA. What factors determine the shares of the EC, the USA and Japan in international trade? How dependent are these three economic powers on the world market? What conclusions can be drawn regarding their relative competitive strength?     

Current EC-US economic conflicts

The danger of serious disagreements on the agricultural question and a trade war developing between the EC and the USA may never have been as great as it is today: on the one hand, the EC has less and less leeway for its foreign trade policy because the problems in financing its agricultural policy are still unsolved and, on the other hand, no major concessions can be expected of the Reagan administration in an election year. Yet agriculture is only one of a series of fields of economic activity where Euro-American collisions are continually occurring.     

电子商务对我国传统国际贸易方式的挑战

近年来 ,电子商务以不可阻挡之势席卷全球。它正在掀起国际贸易领域的一场革命 ,对我国传统国际贸易方式提出了挑战。面对实现电子商贸的种种障碍 ,建立一个健全的电子贸易系统正是关键所在     

电子商务对国际贸易的影响及对策分析

随着国际互联网的不断拓展,电子商务活动在世界各国兴起和飞速发展,并对我国国际贸易领域影响深远。加入WTO后,我国的国际贸易在电子商务中潮下面临着巨大的机遇和挑战。本文分析了在此背景下,中国发展国际化电子商务的策略。     

National protectionism and common trade policy

The EC recently created a new instrument of trade policy to deter illicit trade practices. A major part of its purpose is to strengthen the Community’s authority in the area of trade policy and counter the spread of international protectionism within the Community. The following article demonstrates, among other things, that protectionism in the Community cannot offer a workable alternative to this course.     

The EC internal market,Lomé IV and the ACP countries

The implications that the internal market could hold for the EC's foreign trade relations are a cause of considerable worry to countries in the Third World. Particularly the ACP countries, for many of whom the EC is their foremost product and import market, fear the possible strengthening of protectionist barriers and a Europe increasingly preoccupied with itself. This article examines the perspectives of EC-ACP trade relations in the light of the Lomé IV agreement.     

Obstacles to transatlantic trade

Early this year the US Administration made reference to “a marked improvement in the relations between the EC and the USA over the period of the last three years” — an astonishing statement in the light of the mounting non-tariff obstacles to trade between the EC and the USA.     

Turning point for European Agricultural Policy?

Agriculture is undoubtedly the most important and controversial topic in the ongoing Uruguay Round of the GATT. Can a compromise between the divergent positions of the EC and the USA on agricultural trade be found? Does the Uruguay Round mark a turning point for the EC’s Common Agricultural Policy?     

农产品出口信贷及新框架协议下的影响与对策

W TO框架内,出口信贷、出口信贷担保及出口信用保险对国民经济与国际贸易,尤其是农产品国际贸易具有重要的意义和作用。2004年8月“多哈谈判”达成的框架协议也对此产生了深远影响。作为W TO新成员,我国对此领域的研究与实践还是空白,本文在回顾出口信贷、出口信贷担保与保险规则发展历程基础上,着力探讨W TO各主要成员国的立场与做法及面对新框架协议的应对措施。     

Are EC-Japan-US Trade relations at the crossroads?

The Uruguay Round negotiations are currently passing through a critical phase after four years of strenuous bargaining. The ultimate success of the negotiations largely depends on the attitudes of the USA, the EC and Japan. What are the main contentious issues between these three and how are their trade relations likely to develop in future?     

Trends in world trade

The current problems of international trade can certainly not be solved by resorting to the arsenal of national trade policies. World-wide economic losses would be the inevitable result. Therefore the first set of tripartite talks between the “major trading powers”, the USA, the EC and Japan, scheduled for October this year and dealing with mutual trade problems, will be a step in the right direction providing that these talks do not result in a defensive alliance against the trading interests of the developing countries.     

Increasing protectionism in Europe

The EC-Commission and the European Council have both expressed their concern at the state of the internal market of the Community, which is jeopardized by trade barriers and subsidies to distressed industries. They both agree that a concerted effort must be made to strengthen and consolidate the internal market for goods and services.^1,2 Has the bacillus of increasing protectionism in world trade now spread to the internal trade in the EC? How can the danger be averted?     

The US trade policy towards the EC in the Tokyo round

The seventh round of GATT negotiations was brought to a conclusion in the spring of this year. One of the objects for the USA was to correct the trend of world trade which had been to its disadvantage. Its main concern was to bring about a settlement of the trade relations with the western industrialized states and the EC in particular. Has the USA achieved these aims?     

The anti-dumping policy of the European Communities

In the recent discussion of EC anti-dumping rules and their application allegations have intensified that this instrument, provided by the GATT to counteract unfair trade practices, has increasingly been used by the Community to raise new trade barriers reflecting the amplification of protectionist intentions and resulting as a matter of fact in a restriction of imports contrary to the provisions and the scope of GATT. Is this a realistic assessment?     

The impact of the Generalized System of Preferences on imports

Although the EC’s Generalized System of Preferences has been in force since July 1, 1971, vagueness still prevails with regard to the question to what extent the system has contributed to the lowering of tariff barriers and of what service it has thus been as a tool for the promotion of exports from the developing countries. Now that EC statistics on preferential imports in 1973–1976 are available, it is for the first time possible to undertake a detailed evaluation of the GSP in the light of more germane and comprehensive evidence than the general foreign trade statistics and a few incidental figures at hand previously.     

浅议电子商务对国际贸易的影响

电子商务作为因特网技术发展日益成熟的直接结果,是未来商业发展的新方向。它体现的开放性、全球性、地域性、低成本和高效率等内在特征,在符合商业经济内在要求的同时,还使其超越了作为一种新的贸易形式所具有的价值。它不仅改变了企业本身的生产、经营、管理,而且对传统的贸易方式带来冲击。其最明显的标志就是增加了贸易机会、降低贸易成本以及提高贸易效益。在带动经济结构变革的同时,对整个现代经济生活产生了巨大而且深远的影响。对此,中国作为经济正在发展的贸易大国,要大力发展电子商务,加强信息基础设施建设,在国际贸易竞争中占据主动。     

Trademark Law and Litigation in China

This article deals with trade relations between the EC and Japan by focusing on the automobile industry. It analyzes the performance of the European and Japanese car manufacturers in the EC market. It examines quantitative import restrictions as well as non-tariff restrictions such as technical regulations, the value-added system, state aid to European car producers, exclusive distribution system, and "rule of origin" requirements. The article also discusses how the Japanese car producers are reacting to the EC-92 program by pursuing at least three strategies.