Trade Policy and Bilateral Relations Section

1.1 RESPONSIBILITIES

The Trade Policy and Bilateral Relations Section's (the Section) responsibilities are, inter alia, the following:

• Participation in EU committees and working groups with competence to formulate and implement the EU's common commercial policy,
• Contribution to Trade Policy development by coordinating with relevant departments in order to formulate policy positions in order to safeguard our offensive/defensive trade-related interests,
• Tracking international trade developments, in various international Organizations, such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO),
• Trade defence measures , such as anti-dumping or anti-subsidy cases brought before the Trade Defence Instruments Committee of the EU Council,
• Concluding Bilateral Investment Agreements between the RoC and third countries (Presides a special technical committee which includes the Legal Service and the Ministries of Commerce, of Finance, and of Foreign Affairs)
• Promoting Cyprus’ bilateral trade relations with other countries,
• Providing exporters with comprehensive information regarding the benefits of existing Trade Agreements,
• Promoting Access2Markets platform which allows you to obtain information you need when you trade with third countries, such as on tariffs, taxes, procedures, formalities and requirements, rules of origin, export measures, statistics, trade barriers and much more. The platform also refers you to the Single-Entry Point, which is the first point of contact within the European Commission’s trade department for all EU stakeholders who are facing market access issues in third countries or who find non-compliance with sustainability commitments.

1.2 TRADE-RELEVANT COMMITTEES AND WORKING GROUPS IN THE EU  

1.2.1 Trade Policy Committee (TPC)

The Trade Policy Committee acts as one of the preparatory bodies in the decision-making process of the Council as regards EU trade policy and contributes to the preparation of the Foreign Affairs Council (Trade).

The role of the Trade Policy Committee (TPC) is explained in article 207(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU.

The committee deals with trade policy matters within three main areas:

• issues related to the World Trade Organization (WTO)
• bilateral trade relations
• new EU legislation within the trade policy area, as appropriate

The committee advises and assists the Commission in negotiating agreements on behalf of the EU with third countries or in international organisations in the area of the common commercial policy. It is also responsible for preparing the signature and conclusion of trade and investment agreements by the Council.

Additionally, the committee is the primary responsible working party that deals with the handling of trade disputes.

The committee meets in the following subgroups:

• Full Members
• Deputies
• Experts Services and Investment
• Generalised System of Preferences (GSP)

The subgroup on Services and Investment deals with trade policy matters concerning services and investment issues. It assists and advises the Commission when it negotiates on behalf of the EU in the WTO and with non-EU countries as regards services and investment aspects.

The subgroup on the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) deals with the EU's GSP and the GSP of other WTO members, as well as with the WTO enabling clause. It also follows issues in relation to the GSP dealt with in the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs).

1.2.2 Foreign Affairs Council (Trade)

The Foreign Affairs Council is responsible for the EU's external action, which includes foreign policy, defence and security, trade, development cooperation and humanitarian aid.

The Section, prepares and facilitates the participation of the Minister for Commerce in FAC (Trade), which is presided by the representative of the EU member state holding the six-monthly rotating presidency of the Council of the EU.

As it is an exclusive competence of the EU, the Council adopts measures implementing the EU's common commercial policy together with the European Parliament. This includes trade and investment relations, intellectual property rights and foreign direct investment.

In trade policy, the Commission is responsible for negotiating and managing trade agreements involving tariff changes, customs and trade provisions and safeguard measures. However, the Council plays a central role because it authorises the Commission to open negotiations and gives negotiating instructions to the Commission.