World Perspectives

Hey Phil Hogan, How’s the New Job Going?

New EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan was in Washington this week for a sort of baptism by fire. On top of foreign policy tensions like Iran and security issues like NATO funding, there are economic issues like trade.  The U.S. has imposed tariffs on imports from the EU under the WTO Airbus case. They are in the process (deadlines for comments to USTR closed on Monday) of considering higher and additional tariffs, and separately there is the threaten of tariffs on imports from France due to a new digital services tax.  The EU is also caught in the triangular cross-fire of U.S. and UK interests in negotiating a free trade deal as the EU negotiates the terms of Brexit. As the former Agriculture Commissioner, Mr. Hogan was well prepa...

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