Tag: European Commission

Ontario Retaliates Against Tariffs with US Procurement Ban

In retaliation for President Trump’s imposition of tariffs on Canadian goods, the province of Ontario has significantly curbed US participation in its public sector procurement. Ontario’s premier announced on March 4 that: “American companies

EU’s Foreign Subsidies Regulation: A China Report & EU Call for Comments

This post examines two developments relating to the European Union’s (EU) implementation of its Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR). First is China’s findings that the EU discriminated against Chinese firms in undertaking three in-depth investigations

EU Report on China’s Discrimination in Purchasing Medical Devices

After a nine-month investigation, the European Commission found “clear evidence” that China is discriminating against EU medical devices and suppliers and limiting their access to government contracts. In a report, published in January, the

Will EU Adopt Preferences in Review of Procurement Directives?

The European Union (EU) has initiated a review of its procurement directives (regulations) that may include the application of preferences in EU procurement. President Ursula von der Leyen proposed adoption of preferences in her political

European Commission President Plans Procurement Preference

European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, proposed a procurement preference for EU products in her bid for a second term. Such a move would represent a departure from the EU’s generally open procurement market and its criticism of preferences

China Launches Investigation of EU’s Foreign Subsidies Regulation

In response to European Union (EU) investigations of Chinese firms under its recently implemented Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR), China has responded with its own probe of the EU. On July 10, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced it was commencing

EU Uses New Trade Tool to Probe China’s Purchases of Medical Devices

The European Union targeted China’s procurement of medical devices in its first investigation under the International Procurement Instrument (IPI), implemented in 2022. The European Commission launched the investigation on April 24 in

EU Foreign Subsidies Cases: One Terminates, Two Commence

Since February, the European Commission has initiated three in-depth investigations of Chinese-owned companies to determine whether they have received foreign subsidies that give them an unfair advantage in an EU public procurement. In March, it terminated

EU Targets Chinese Firm in First Foreign Subsidies Investigation

The European Commission has launched its first in-depth investigation under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) to determine whether a Chinese state-owned firm submitted an unduly advantageous offer in a Bulgarian train procurement as the

EU Gains New Trade Tool: Anti-Coercion Instrument

The European Union (EU) is adding a new tool to its defensive trade measures that will allow it to retaliate against countries trying to coerce it or its member states to take certain action.  In June, its co-legislative institutions – the