EU and CPTPP: New course for fair world trade without the WTO?

EU and CPTPP: New course for fair world trade without the WTO?

The EU Commission is currently actively working to form a new trade alliance with like-minded partners under the CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership). The aim of this initiative is to promote meaningful and rules-based reforms for fair and open global trade. This cooperation is expressly not directed against the World Trade Organization (WTO), but is intended to support and reform its existing framework Cash reported.

The CPTPP currently covers twelve countries, including Australia, Canada, Japan and New Zealand. What is particularly noteworthy is that Great Britain joined this trading bloc at the end of 2024. The EU sees this alliance as a strategic step to address challenges compounded by geopolitical tensions and unilateral tariffs, particularly from the United States.

EU strategy for WTO reform

The initiative is supported by senior EU officials, who said on Friday that the WTO faces fundamental challenges. The European strategy does not envisage replacing the WTO, but rather advancing modern trade guidelines within the existing system. Structured cooperation with the twelve CPTPP nations could serve as a starting point for a comprehensive redesign of the WTO, as Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, suggests.

A central point of the EU strategy is the promotion of a rules-based trading system and the establishment of a dispute resolution mechanism. These approaches are particularly important as the US is currently blocking appointments to the WTO Appellate Body. This increases the pressure on international trade structures and calls for innovative solutions.

Reactions and perspectives

In this context, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz indicated the gradual replacement of the WTO by the new trading body. However, EU officials emphasize that the aim is not to create a rival organization, but rather to promote open global trading practices and organize international trade on a fair and transparent basis.

Overall, the strategic cooperation between the EU and the CPTPP countries signals an important step into a new era of global trade. The development has the potential to significantly influence the future rules of international trade and contribute to a more stable and fairer global trading system, such as Devdiscourse sums up. With these measures, the EU is not only responding to current challenges, but is also setting the course for a sustainable trading order.