Free trade news and archive

The world's largest trading bloc is now Asia Pacific

Forget NAFTA, ASEAN and the European Union. The world’s biggest trading block, an agreement that came in to force on Thursday after eights years of negotiations, comprises of 15 countries in Asia Pacific. Called the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), it is made up of 10 Southeast Asian countries, in addition to South Korea,...

Fashion Partner Content

EU-Mercosur trade deal opens opportunity for textile and clothing companies

Brussels, 2 July 2019 - EURATEX, the European Apparel and Textile Confederation, welcomes the conclusion of negotiations for a comprehensive and ambitious Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay). EURATEX has been actively engaged in the negotiation process to ensure an agreement fit...

RetailFeatured

UK retailers call for free trade with EU

Theresa May this week made her long awaited speech about triggering Article 50 to initiate the UK's divorce from Europe. For British fashion brands, retailers and businesses in general, there are enormous consequences to consider as without free trade between European nations many brands may not be able to survive. The UK’s leading lobby group...

Business

UK prime minister champions global free trade

UK Prime Minister Theresa May this week advocated for free trade around the world despite voter doubt. May visited India on a two-day trade focused meeting. For fashion businesses, free trade would mean the lifting of tariffs and duties to make pricing equal in local markets, something luxury brands would benefit greatly from. European brands...

BusinessFeatured

Clothing brands to see tariffs removed in new TTP trade agreement

As the US and EU continue to battle it out over the Transatlantic Trade Agreement, there is another trade agreement about to take affect which could greatly affect British fashion businesses. The Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TTP, is an agreement between 12 countries, the US, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Brunei, Australia, New Zealand,...

Fashion

Red tape stops UK brands opening EU stores

The British Retail Consortium will argue today that discriminatory legislation is preventing UK retailers from opening stores in other EU countries. In a BRC hosted debate at the Conservative Party Conference, the industry organisation will say that the EU makes life harder for retailers through costly regulation and by failing to bring the...