Kirsten Ostermann

Is a customs union worth it? - UK in a changing Europe With debates about whether the UK should enter into a customs union with the EU resurfacing, Joël Reland explains what a customs union actually is and how one would, or wouldn't, benefit the UK.

"But a customs union is far from being a silver bullet for the UK’s economic woes, and it does have some potential downsides."

✍️ As debates about the UK entering into a customs union with the EU resurface, @jreland.bsky.social looks at what this would actually mean

ukandeu.ac.uk/is-a-customs...

India/US Trade Talks

Piyush Goyal 🇮🇳 today expressed optimism about ongoing trade negotiations with the US, stating that discussions are “progressing well" towards a BTA and clarified that India does not negotiate deals on the basis of deadlines.

Source:
www.news18.com/india/we-nev...

The Indian government has yesterday informed the Parliament that the Union Cabinet's approval for the signing and ratification of the India-UK CETA has been obtained. As a result, internal procedures for ratification of the treaty by India are complete.

The UK-EU Youth Experience Scheme Report — UK Trade and Business Commission

Full text of @uktradebusiness.bsky.social report on UK-EU youth mobility can be found here - www.tradeandbusiness.uk/ukeu-yes-sch...

Launch UK-EU youth experience scheme with initial 44,000 cap, says cross-party commission — UK Trade and Business Commission A new cross-party report recommends the UK and EU should launch the UK’s largest and most generous scheme to restore opportunities for young people who have been denied them by Brexit.

More on the @uktradebusiness.bsky.social report on UK-EU youth mobility released today - which provides greater detail and reasoning than either side has so far in their own communication.

www.tradeandbusiness.uk/news/launch-...

Kirsten Hillman's resignation letter (posted on X on Tuesday afternoon).

Canada’s DC envoy to exit as US trade talks stall Kirsten Hillman’s departure leaves Ottawa minus a point person with the North American free trade deal on the table.

Canada’s ambassador to the US and its chief trade negotiator with the Trump administration said she is stepping down in the new year.

Hillman (a trade lawyer) was a key member of the Canadian negotiating team during the talks that led to the creation of the USMCA.
www.politico.eu/article/cana...

A high-level delegation from the office of the US Trade Representative, led by Deputy US Trade Representative Ambassador Rick Switzer, is currently in India for trade talks.
India’s negotiations are being led by Joint Secretary Darpan Jain.

US/India trade talks start today at 11 am (IST).
The talks focus on expanding American farmers’ access to Indian markets.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer: "India has made 'the best we’ve ever received as a country' in ongoing discussions."

Source:
www.financialexpress.com/world-news/u...

EU/India Trade Talks

Statement by Shri Piyush Goyal 🇮🇳 after his talks with Maroš Šefčovic 🇪🇺.

"Commissioner Šefčovič’s visit to New Delhi represented a significant milestone in the ongoing India–EU trade dialogue (...)."

Source:
www.pib.gov.in/PressRelease...

A delegation from the office of the US Trade Representative, led by Deputy US Trade Representative Ambassador Rick Switzer, will visit India from December 9-11, 2025.
Negotiations between the two countries are scheduled for December 10 and 11.
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US/India Trade Talks

India’s negotiations for the trade deal with the US will now be led by Darpan Jain as the Chief Negotiator from the Indian side.
He is a 2001-batch IAS officer & is currently serving as Joint Secretary in the MoCI.
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Source:
www.moneycontrol.com/news/busines...

Trump threatens more tariffs on Indian rice! Why India has little to worry - and US consumers may bear the brunt - The Times of India India Business News: US President Trump has threatened further tariffs on Indian rice, accusing India of 'dumping' products. Despite existing high tariffs, Indian rice exp

US/India Trade Relation

Trump threatens more tariffs on Indian rice! Why India has little to worry - and US consumers may bear the brunt.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/ind...

EU/India Trade Talks

EU Trade and Economic Security Commissioner, Maroš Šefčovič India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today in New Delhi.

Maroš Šefčovič: "... We had a constructive, results-oriented discussion on key areas of shared interest and opportunity between the EU and India."

EU trade chief in Delhi with top officials for FTA negotiations EU Trade Commissioner in Delhi for crucial FTA talks, aiming for substantial conclusion with India by year-end.

EU/India FTA Negotiations

"The two sides are keen to make a formal announcement on the India-EU FTA at the India-EU Summit in New Delhi, possibly on January 27, to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the EU leadership (...)."
www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/eu-t...

The future of the USMCA What’s next for US trade relations with Canada and Mexico as Trump threatens withdrawing from the trade deal.

The US Trade Representative is due to send a report to Congress on the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (#USMCA) in January, ahead of the July 2026 review of the agreement.
Learn everything you need to know from our guide to the USMCA here:

EU/India Trade Talks
(8th/9th December in New Delhi)

The Composition of the EU Delegation is as follows:

1) Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič

2) Sabine Weyand, Director General DG Trade

EU/India Trade Talks

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Monday held talks with European Trade and Economic Security Commissioner Maros Sefcovic in New Delhi ahead of a new round of India-EU trade negotiations.

EU/India Trade Talks

India's Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal met EU's Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič in New Delhi today.
The meeting took stock of progress in the India-EU trade talks and aims to sort out pending issues.

Very clear description of what a customs union is & how UK companies would benefit (& by how much).

Relevant to the recent chatter about the UK having a customs union with the EU.

I'm afraid that the second option will be the more likely one...

I think the chances of success are very high, and I think the US will conclude an FTA with India before the EU does.

Indonesia accuses WTO fish subsidies draft of violating Law of the Sea It criticises disclosing information, countries scrutinising each other, and committee oversight. But they are standard in the WTO.

A paper from Indonesia seems to have made agreement in the current WTO fisheries subsidies negotiations even more difficult to reach. It says the latest draft would violate sovereignty principles in the UN Law of the Sea. This is going to be controversial

tradebetablog.wordpress.com/2025/12/05/i...

Rick Switzer and Brendan Lynch, the US chief negotiator for the trade deal with India, are expected to meet Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal for the final talks ahead of the agreement.
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US negotiators in Delhi next
week, kindle hopes of deal before December-end The meeting comes close on the heels of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s two-day visit to India when the two countries decided to boost bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030 from $64 billion now, ...

US/India Trade Talks

A US trade team led by Deputy US Trade Representative Rick Switzer is set to visit India next week to iron out differences such that a US/India trade agreement is signed before December-end.
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Source:
indianexpress.com/article/busi...

EU/India Trade Talks

A visiting team from the EU will hold discussions with India's Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday (December 8) regarding the advancement of talks on the proposed free trade agreement, an official source has said.

Source:
thefederal.com/category/bus...

Any doubts about why large corporations need huge trade staffs and small firms either give up or pay consultants? Trade facilitation is urgently needed, but will be ignored by politicals because it isn’t sexy. Not to mention that most of the business press don’t deem such details newsworthy.

Brexit law

Details of the first UK national court reference to the CJEU sent since the end of the Brexit transition period - on the position of a non-EU family member of an EU citizen with settled status who left the home due to domestic violence - curia.europa.eu/juris/showPd...

‘The only idea around’: will Labour return to a customs union with the EU? The desperate search for economic growth is pushing the party to confront the issue that dare not speak its name

“I would strongly contest whether rejoining the customs union would either be quick or straightforward,” one cabinet source said.’

Wise source

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...