Policy expertise to the Committee on International Trade (INTA)
The INTA Committee is responsible for matters relating to the establishment, implementation and monitoring of the Union’s common commercial policy and its external economic relations.
The research network, led by LSE Consulting, was commissioned to deliver ad-hoc studies, in-depth analyses, briefings and workshops on a range of trade and investment subjects. The expertise was designed both to strengthen the committees' knowledge and ability to respond to Commission proposals or Council activities, and to provide a solid basis for some of the committees' own initiatives. Topics have included: WTO matters and negotiations; Trade Defence Instruments; The Generalised System of Preferences; Rules of origin; The coherence of EU trade policy with other external and internal policy areas; The Customs Union and its trade related implications; and The role of non-tariff barriers (NTBs) in EU trade policy.
The research network provided trade and investment support during two framework periods: October 2009 – September 2013 and September 2014 – August 2018.
Selected studies:
Specific studies for Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO)
In February 2013, the European Union (EU) and the United States (US) started the procedure to initiate formal negotiations on a free trade agreement referred to as the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). In order to monitor the ongoing negotiations, the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection commissioned LSE Consulting and its collaborators a series of studies on “The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership: Challenges and Opportunities for the Internal Market and Consumer Protection”. These studies cover a range of sector specific issues (engineering and machinery, motor vehicles, textiles) as well as broader issues such as analysis in the area of services, trade facilitation, technical barriers to trade and consumer protection.
Each of the studies takes a unique approach to highlight EU goals and interests, achievements from recent FTAs, and opportunities and challenges of the TTIP.
Selected studies:
Partner organisations:
Centre for Social and Economic Research (CASE), University of Innsbruck, IW Köln Cologne Institute for Economic Research, Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), Institutte for Globalisation and International Regulation at Universities of Maastricht, Istituto per gli studi di politica internazionale, Overseas Development Institute