Joshua Paine

Text: ‘facilitator’ Ølberg’s November 2025 report on WTO reform talks Any notion that these will be resolved by the next Ministerial Conference has disappeared. Instead, Ølberg speaks of scoping issues and identifying options to present to ministers

Remember "WTO reform"? Norway Ambassador Petter Ølberg on his latest consultations. Full text ⬇️ contains details of what's been discussed, eg subsidies and voting in the absence of consensus. Short preface co-authored with @bobwolfe.bsky.social

tradebetablog.wordpress.com/text-olbergs...

Singapore, UAE and other small nations to launch trade partnership WTO members seek to boost ‘trade openness’ in era of Donald Trump’s protectionism

'The new grouping, to be called the Future of Investment and Trade Partnership, or “FIT-P”, is expected to include about 10 countries, with New Zealand joining Singapore and the UAE as core founding members' on.ft.com/3JCgbDe via @FT

ICJ Advisory Opinion on Climate Change: The Variable and Evolutive Nature of Due Diligence Obligations This post focuses on the concept of due diligence in the International Court of Justice (ICJ)’s Advisory Opinion in Obligations of States in respect of Climate Change (for earlier posts analysing othe...

ICJ Advisory Opinion on Climate Change: The Variable and Evolutive Nature of Due Diligence Obligations | by Joshua Paine

ICJ Advisory Opinion on Climate Change: The Variable and Evolutive Nature of Due Diligence Obligations This post focuses on the concept of due diligence in the International Court of Justice (ICJ)’s Advisory Opinion in Obligations of States in respect of Climate Change (for earlier posts analysing othe...

My two cents on the ICJ’s Climate Change Advisory Opinion now published at @ejiltalk.bsky.social ‘ICJ Advisory Opinion on Climate Change: The Variable and Evolutive Nature of Due Diligence Obligations’. www.ejiltalk.org/icj-advisory... Thanks to @dchovell.bsky.social for comments on earlier drafts.

🚨 West Cumbria Mining is suing the UK under the UK–Singapore #BIT after the High Court blocked its controversial #coal mine #Whitehaven #WoodhouseColliery.

Exiting the #ECT isn’t enough, thousands of investment treaties still threaten #ClimateJustice #StopISDS

Joint Statement on Framework for United States-Indonesia Agreement on Reciprocal Trade Today, the United States of America (the United States) and the Republic of Indonesia (Indonesia) agreed to a Framework for negotiating an Agreement on

The Trump mafia and Indonesian gov have agreed to a framework for working out non-tariff trade irritants—at some point in the future.

Cost to Indonesia: 19% tariffs on exports to US.

www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-st...

Mali court deals blow to Barrick Mining in dispute over gold project Court appoints administrators to reopen shuttered mine against Canadian owner’s wishes

Mali court deals blow to Barrick Mining in dispute over gold project - on.ft.com/4e9TMIp via @FT

Canada to resume trade talks with UK, ratify CPTPP accession - Borderlex Britain and Canada will resume negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement, almost 18 months after talks on a trade deal initially broke down.Canada will also proceed with ratification of Britain...

Canada agrees to resume FTA talks w/ the UK nearly 18 months after Ottawa halted negotiations. Canada also agrees to ratify the UK's #CPTPP accession during a bilateral meeting ahead of the #G7 summit

@chrishorseman.bsky.social covers everything you need to know👇

🇨🇦🇬🇧🇨🇦🇬🇧
borderlex.net/2025/06/16/c...

DRAFT AGENDA - Monday, 23 June 2025 - Tuesday, 24 June 2025 | INTA_OJ(2025)06-23_1 | European Parliament DRAFT AGENDA - Monday, 23 June 2025 - Tuesday, 24 June 2025

The agenda for the next meeting of the European Parliament's trade committee on 23-34 June is out - lots of juicy nuggets to get your teeth into, whether its US trade relations, Israel, or the EU's first "CTIP" agreement with South Africa www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/docume...

I have a blogpost just out with @ejiltalk.bsky.social on 'A Multilateral Instrument on ISDS Reform (MIIR): Selected Design Issues'. Thanks to Colin Brown, Taylor St John and @dchovell.bsky.social for comments on earlier drafts of the post.

A renewed agenda for European Union – United Kingdom cooperation Common Understanding I. Introduction\n1. In view of the United Kingdom - European Union summit of 19 May 2025, the European Commission and the United Kingdom explored areas with the potential to strengthen bilateral coope...

Text of the EU/UK reset - common understanding

Some first thoughts 1/
ec.europa.eu/commission/p...

Congratulations, well deserved!

Yes that's definitely right. Japan's reported idea reminded me somewhat of the investment promotion chapter in the India-EFTA TEPA, where there's a goal in terms of EFTA FDI into India specified.

Ah ok, as in they are often either recycled announcements, commitments without a clear time frame etc.

Simon, could you pls expand a little on why you say that? We have things like the FDI data regularly published by OECD, UNCTAD.

Japan to hold out for better trade deal with US Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s unpopular government fears concessions could prompt electoral backlash

'One early proposal from Japan, according to officials, was to link levels of investment in the US by Japanese companies with percentage-point cuts to tariffs.'
Japan to hold out for better trade deal with US - on.ft.com/4dFCaUV via @FT

Plans to reset UK-EU relations hit trouble over fishing rights and youth mobility Member states reject Brussels’ latest efforts to bridge gaps between the two sides

"Even landlocked member states are vocally supportive of the commission in pushing for a hard link” between fisheries and a veterinary deal ... a third EU diplomat said. Plans to reset UK-EU relations hit trouble over fishing rights and youth mobility - on.ft.com/4dsCQwz via @FT

USTR just posted what it described as the US-UK "Agreement in Principle" ustr.gov/sites/defaul...

Britain and India clinch landmark trade deal in shadow of Trump's tariffs It represents Britain's most significant post-Brexit agreement.

'Meanwhile, financial services will be covered by talks over a bilateral investment treaty. While negotiations on that treaty were conducted in parallel with free trade talks, differences remain and so talks will continue.'
www.reuters.com/world/india/...

I don't follow the link between non-conclusion of the BIT and the services coverage of the FTA, unless the BIT is anticipated to include investment liberalisation commitments in those services sectors. /2

UK and India agree ‘landmark’ trade deal after three years of negotiations Deal could help UK industries hit by Trump tariffs, as ministers say it will add £4.8bn a year to economy by 2040

'Parallel talks to agree a bilateral investment treaty, which would establish legal protections for investments between the UK and India, have not yet reached resolution. As a result, the deal does not include the financial services or legal services sectors.' /1
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

EU, Côte d'Ivoire launch sustainable investment talks - Borderlex The European Union and Côte d’Ivoire launched negotiations on a sustainable investment facilitation agreement.

The EU and Côte d'Ivoire launch talks on a sustainable investment facilitation pact. The European Commission wants talks to conclude next year. All the latest by me below for @borderlex.net borderlex.net/2025/05/06/e...

Do you have a Commission or Council link for this? Read your borderlex story w interest but couldn't find anything official online about it. Thanks.

'Although talks on the investment treaty continue, there’s still no clear timeline for when — or if — a deal will ever be agreed.'

UK and India locked in final stages of trade talks Ministers attempt to resolve remaining areas of disagreement in London talks this week

UK and India locked in final stages of trade talks - giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... via @FT

Donald Trump orders speedier permits for deep-sea mineral projects US president’s move is part of effort to bolster supply of critical resources

Donald Trump orders speedier permits for deep-sea mineral projects - on.ft.com/42RoqRR via @FT

China to lift sanctions on MEPs in bid to revive trade deal with EU Beijing steps up efforts to woo Brussels as 145% tariffs imposed by the US seal off its biggest market

'Two EU officials said the CAI would not be revived as the situation had changed so much'. China to lift sanctions on MEPs in bid to revive trade deal with EU - on.ft.com/4iOiZsZ via @FT

What is feigned victimization and how is it used by fossil fuel companies to achieve capital accumulation and climate obstruction?

British Steel crisis spurs greater scrutiny of Chinese investment in UK Ministers urged to review Beijing’s role in critical national infrastructure and supply chains

This story flags the UK-China BIT. But n.b. the relatively narrow ISDS clause in the treaty (covers investor-State disputes 'concerning an amount of compensation'). British Steel crisis spurs greater scrutiny of Chinese investment in UK - on.ft.com/4lKtUGK via @FT

EU could tax Big Tech if Trump trade talks fail, says von der Leyen European Commission president tells FT she wants ‘balanced’ deal but could hit US services in retaliation

EU could tax Big Tech if Trump trade talks fail, says von der Leyen - on.ft.com/3Yptuvc via @FT