EU, Mexico Continue Efforts to Clinch Updated Trade Deal by Year's End

The EU and Mexico have concluded a sixth round of talks to update their existing trade accord, reporting advances on a series of negotiating areas and confirming that they will meet again in Brussels, Belgium, later this month in a bid to wrap up a deal. According to a press statement from the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, the latest round included advances in areas such as goods, services, and public procurement market access. They also referred to progress on the investment court system (ICS), which the EU has been working to include in its more recent trade agreements as a replacement to the previous investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism and use as a precursor to a proposed “multilateral investment court.” Sustainable development was also an area which saw progress, according to the EU, though the statement did not go into further detail. A blog post from the Mexican government noted that both sides have now concluded a chapter on competition policy as well as on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Negotiators will hold talks in Brussels, Belgium, from 11 December to advance negotiations further, with ministers set to join during the week of 18 December, according to the...