Free Trade

On 1st May 2026, China implemented a zero-tariff policy covering all 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations, requiring no reciprocity. The measure builds on an earlier step: since 1 December 2024, China has eliminated tariffs on 100% of tariff lines for 33 least developed countries (LDCs) in Africa on the same diplomatic-recognition condition, meaning…

This post assesses the legality of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz from the perspective of the law of armed conflict at sea. In the context of the rights of neutral States, it discusses the passage regime in and over the Strait of Hormuz that continues to apply in the on-going international armed conflict (IAC) that was…

In a time when the views of the European Union and the United States of America appear to be drifting further apart each day, long-standing issues are resurfacing once again. Tim Josling’s 2006 article “The War on Terroir” describes the transatlantic trade conflict between the U.S. and the EU concerning Geographical Indications (GIs) through the lense of…

On 17 January 2026, the EU and Mercosur signed an ambitious trade and cooperation package composed of two instruments: a Partnership Agreement (EMPA) and an Interim Trade Agreement (iTA). After more than 20 years of negotiations, this deal has been praised as a major stepping stone for extending the EU’s economic and geopolitical influence worldwide, particularly in…