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On 23 September, the European Commission's Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis met with EU civil society to present latest developments in EU’s external trade policy, with a particular focus on trade and sustainability, WTO reform, bilateral relations and enforcement.

EVP Dombrovskis explained the Commission’s priorities with respect to each pillar of the new EU open, sustainable, and assertive trade strategy. He stressed that openness will be even more important in the future, as 85% of global growth will happen outside the EU in the next decade, which creates the need to work on a stable global trading environment. In that respect, EVP Dombrovskis referred to the EU actions on the reform of the World Trade Organization. He highlighted that the Commission is going to work with all WTO members towards a meaningful WTO reform process.

EVP Dombrovski noted that in parallel, the Commission will keep investing in EU’s bilateral trade partnerships around the globe and highlighted two key relationships - with the US and China. He explained that the Transatlantic relationship remains crucial, and that the Commission continues to see positive perspectives in restoring EU-US leadership, based on common values. Meanwhile, while China remains a key partner to tackle global issues such as climate change, the response to Covid, or reforming global trading rules, the EU-China relationship faces growing challenges. 

EVP Dombrovskis noted that, EU’s open trade agenda also needs to support wider policy objectives, such as the fight against climate change and sustainability. In that respect, he pointed to several concrete actions, including the Commission proposal to update the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) and the proposal for a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). Finally, he stressed the importance of EU’s capacity to support EU industry and defend EU interests, for a level the playing field, with appropriate enforcement and trade defence measures.