Join us on 31 May 2022 from 10:30 AM to 12:00 CEST for the Webinar/Hybrid Event on the EU’s Global Gateway in the Indo-Pacific, taking a closer look at the case of Taiwan as an example.
The EIAS Team is delighted to offer you its April 2022 Newsletter just before this sunny Easter. Wishing you a Happy Easter and a nice read. We look forward to welcoming you at one of our events in the upcoming weeks and months so stay tuned.
The EU’s GSP+ Scheme aims to alleviate poverty in beneficiary countries by providing them the opportunity to strengthen and diversify their exports. Despite the benefits, the nature of the scheme’s conditions have raised questions on its ability to deliver its key intentions. Using Uzbekistan as a case study, this Op-ed will assess and analyse the EU’s GSP+ scheme and question who indeed benefits from the scheme, and the manner in which the EU identifies and addresses the issues of poor corporate practices resulting.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic Yoon Seok-Yeol of the conservative People Power Party (PPP) was elected as the ROK’s new president winning 48.56% of the votes. President-elect Yoon’s administration is expected to bring substantial change to South Korea’s foreign policy. Hence, what will be potential areas of future cooperation between the EU and South Korea under Yoon’s administration?
The end of 2021 saw Mongolia’s State Great Khural (parliament) ratify the ‘New Revival’ policy. As the COVID-19 pandemic led to Mongolia’s largest economic contraction since 1990 (-5.3%), the policy aims to ensure political and macroeconomic stability, accelerate public-private partnerships, create a favourable business environment, further open up the state to foreign and domestic investment, and implement fiscal reforms.
From the Kyoto Protocol to the Paris Agreement, international gatherings are becoming more frequent. By cooperating on the climate agenda and the transition towards cleaner energy, there is no doubt that China and the EU are key actors in setting the path towards a global greener future. The main question is: how?
How potentially rich Mongolia is held back by political mischief and corruption. Can the EU (and GSP+) be of any help? The European Institute for Asian Studies is delighted to invite you to the book launch we are organising in cooperation with Erik Versavel to present his book ‘Mongolia: Cracks in the Eternal Blue Sky‘. The book launch will be an in-person event hosted at the EIAS premises on Wednesday 13 April 2022 from 16:30 to 18:00. The event will include an interactive Q&A session between the panellists and the audience and will be followed by a networking reception.
France has assumed the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU since 1 January 2022, following Slovenia’s term. In a speech delivered on 9 December 2020, French President Emmanuel Macron underlined the necessity for a “European response” in facing both health and economic challenges, the rise of aggressive powers, climate change and global warming.
The EU’s beneficial trade scheme for vulnerable, low-income countries, the GSP+ framework, is currently under review. Meant to aid developing countries’ efforts of lifting their most deprived parts of society out of poverty, it is supposed to incentivise social and environmental conditions in countries such as Pakistan. Yet, there is plenty of criticism revolving around transparency, objectivity and effectiveness of the framework. This EIAS Policy Brief examines areas of potential improvement of the scheme along the case of Pakistan.