Helena König shares views on Europe’s trade prospects in Asia

The European Union’s approach to trade and investment in Asia was central to a briefing with Helena König, Deputy Director General at the Directorate-General for Trade, European Commission, today (23 February).

Speaking with Asia House Corporate Members, König gave an overview of the EU’s trade agenda, including the progress of current and future free trade agreements, and the recently-negotiated EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI). Cooperation between the US and the EU was also discussed before Asia House Corporate Members joined the conversation, putting a range of questions to the Deputy Director General.

Questions to König included the level of pushback against the CAI from EU members; the EU’s trade prospects for markets such as India, Japan and Indonesia; and the ongoing issue of subsidies. The omission of ASEAN in a recent EU communication on trade strategy was also raised, as was the bloc’s stance on CPTPP and digital trade.

Chaired by Asia House Chief Executive Michael Lawrence, the briefing was convened exclusively for Asia House Corporate Members.

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