WESTERN EUROPE

U.S.-UK Trade Agreement to be Focus of USITC Investigation

13 December 2018

The USITC has initiated an investigation of the probable economic effect of the proposed U.S.-UK Trade Agreement. More

Court of Justice Decides That UK Can Unilaterally Cancel Brexit, While Business Leaders Fear Supply-Chains Disruption Under Any Brexit Scenario

11 December 2018

A number of Members of the Scottish, UK and European Parliament had lodged a petition for judicial review to a UK court (in Scotland) to determine whether the notification under Article 50 (to leave the EU) could be unilaterally revoked. More

hktdc research

Advocate General Delivers Formal Opinion: UK Can Unilaterally Cancel Its Withdrawal from EU

07 December 2018

On 4 December 2018, an Advocate General (Mr. Manuel Campos Sanchez-Bordona) at the Court of Justice of the EU issued his formal (non-binding) opinion that the UK would be able to unilaterally cancel its withdrawal from the EU. According to Mr Sanchez-Bordona, if a country decided to leave the EU, it should also have the power to change its mind during the two-year exit process specified in Article 50 TEU. The Court of Justice still needs to rule on the matter. More

hktdc research

Spain Makes Recycling of Cartridges and Toners Mandatory

04 December 2018

The recycling of waste cartridges and toners has become mandatory in Spain, due to the expansion of the consideration of what is an ‘electric or electronic device’ in the framework of Spanish Royal Decree 110/2015, which deals with Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) recycling. This obligation is not only shouldered by stores and businesses, which must collect them for free once discarded. More

multimedia

Hong Kong: A Fruitful Pairing for Italian Wine

30 November 2018

hktdc research

EU Leaders Reach Consensus over “Divorce Deal” with UK

27 November 2018

While it was widely predicted that EU leaders would sign off on the withdrawal deal at Sunday’s summit, it apparently took merely 40 minutes for them to endorse the almost 600 pages of legal text (the withdrawal agreement) and the accompanying 20-page declaration for the EU's future relationship with the UK. More

hktdc research

German Voluntary Ecolabel “Blue Angel” for Consumer Products Including Electronics, Textiles, Toys and Shoes Celebrates 40th Anniversary

26 November 2018

Hong Kong sellers familiar with the German market may already know that the product label “Blue Angel” aims to provide reliable guidance to consumers when it comes to making more environmentally friendly purchasing decisions, while guaranteeing that a product or service meets high standards. The “Blue Angel” stands for the protection of the environment and health, resources, water and the climate. More

hktdc research

EU-UK Draft Withdrawal Agreement Wins UK Cabinet Support, But Brexit Struggle Far from Over

16 November 2018

The UK Environment Secretary Michael Gove, a well-known supporter of Brexit, is believed to be the only senior ‘leave’ supporting minister to have backed the draft deal. Eleven out of Mrs. May’s 29 cabinet members are said to actually oppose the draft deal. More

hktdc research

EU’s General Court Rules Against Current Energy Labelling of Vacuum Cleaners

15 November 2018

It is reported that on 8 November 2018, the EU’s General Court, located in Luxembourg, repealed the EU’s Energy Labelling Regulation for vacuum cleaners. This follows a heated and long-standing dispute between the European Commission and Dyson over the EU’s energy labelling requirements. More

multimedia

Cheers for Wine & Spirits Fair 2018

14 November 2018

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