How to watch the Committee on International Trade (INTA)

Opening and votes on cocoa and US tariffs

Bernd Lange S&D

The chair reopens the INTA meeting, organises a test vote and then proceeds to adopt amendments to the International Cocoa Agreement and two files on EU–US tariff measures, including the so‑called ‘lobster deal’, while withholding immediate negotiation mandates with Council. This block sets Parliament’s detailed positions on the tariff packages and clarifies that trilogues will follow only after Council reactions.

In this chapter

1. Opening of meeting and test voteBernd Lange
2. Cocoa Agreement and first US tariff file votesBernd Lange
3. ‘Lobster deal’ US tariff file and mandate decisionBernd Lange

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Unilateral import bans on Ukrainian agriculture – legal framework, member‑state positions and Commission response

Bernd Lange and 3 others

The chair and Commission present the revised DCFTA safeguards and trade data with Ukraine, after which the standing rapporteur and most groups press for firm action against Hungary, Poland and Slovakia’s unilateral bans while frontline member states defend their measures; MEPs debate strategic solidarity, fairness and internal‑market integrity before the Commission reiterates that the bans are unjustified, recalls the WTO track and signals next steps and flanking measures.

In this chapter

1. Item 14 introduction – unilateral import bans on Ukrainian productsBernd Lange
2. Commission – revised DCFTA with Ukraine, data and safeguards
3. Standing rapporteur and groups – calls for action against national bansBernd Lange

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EU–US/Japan critical minerals cooperation – MoUs, trade tools and political debate

Bernd Lange and 1 other

The Commission outlines the forthcoming EU–US memorandum of understanding and a plurilateral trade initiative on critical minerals, including diversification, price mechanisms and joint instruments, then faces MEP questions and divergent political views on trust in the US, sustainability safeguards, global South impacts and due diligence, with DG TRADE and DG GROW responding on MoUs’ effectiveness, standards and possible price‑floor arrangements.

In this chapter

1. Commission (DG GROW) – EU–US MoU on critical minerals: scope and objectivesBernd Lange
2. Commission (DG TRADE) – Plurilateral trade initiative and possible tools
3. Parliamentary scrutiny – questions on MoU model, sustainability and price floorsBernd Lange

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ECA report on critical raw materials – findings and MEP scrutiny

Bernd Lange and 1 other

Presentation of the European Court of Auditors’ special report on critical raw materials, detailing EU dependency, weaknesses in CRMA targets, gaps in domestic supply, recycling and financing, followed by extensive questioning from MEPs on trade partnerships, permitting, mining, recycling and investment models, and the Auditor’s replies before the item is closed.

In this chapter

1. Opening – Item 12: ECA report on critical raw materialsBernd Lange
2. ECA findings – dependency, weak targets, domestic supply and recycling gaps
3. ECA recommendations and chair’s reactionBernd Lange

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Chinese industrial overcapacity: study and policy debate

Bernd Lange S&D

External experts present an INTA-commissioned study on defining and mapping Chinese industrial overcapacity in key sectors, followed by an MEP–Commission–expert debate on the suitability of current EU trade and industrial instruments, China’s internal policy responses and possible future EU actions before the Chair closes the public session.

In this chapter

1. Study for INTA: definition and mapping of Chinese industrial overcapacityBernd Lange
2. MEP debate, Commission reactions and expert follow‑up on Chinese overcapacityBernd Lange

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Trade implementation files: Liberia forests, olive oil, Switzerland

Bernd Lange and 4 others

MEPs and the Commission examine terminating the underperforming Liberia FLEGT VPA and replacing it with a more effective Forest Partnership, then address other trade files including an extension of the International Olive Council agreement and the broad EU–Switzerland package on internal-market access, mobility and level playing field ahead of Swiss ratification.

In this chapter

1. Liberia FLEGT VPA termination and shift to Forest PartnershipBernd Lange
2. Other trade files: International Olive Council and EU–Switzerland packageBernd Lange

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INTA opening and Domestic Advisory Groups (DAGs)

Bernd Lange and 2 others

Chair Lange opens the INTA meeting, sets the agenda and introduces Domestic Advisory Groups as key to Trade and Sustainable Development implementation, followed by partner-country DAG reports (Japan, Andean region, Kenya) and a structured exchange with MEPs and the Commission on DAG impact, representativeness, resources and their role in new ‘mini’ trade deals.

In this chapter

1. Opening of INTA meeting and DAG item mandateBernd Lange
2. Partner-country DAG reports: Japan, Andean region, KenyaBernd Lange
3. MEP–Commission–DAG exchange on impact, representativeness and ‘mini’ dealsUdo Bullmann

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Ecuador CIFA: presentation and political assessment

Bernd Lange S&D

DG TRADE presents the Ecuador Sustainable Investment Facilitation Agreement’s design, sustainability provisions and link to WTO IFD, while rapporteur and shadows stress its geopolitical value but demand strong labour, environmental and indigenous‑rights safeguards, meaningful civil‑society involvement and a compliance‑oriented, non‑ISDS dispute‑settlement model, which the Commission confirms.

In this chapter

1. Ecuador Sustainable Investment Facilitation Agreement: scope and designBernd Lange
2. Ecuador CIFA: geopolitical value, safeguards and civil‑society roleBernd Lange

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Commission responses IV–VI: mini‑deals, Section 122 risk, UK package and sectoral issues

Šefčovič explains the CIFA/CTIP ‘mini‑deals’, options for provisional Mercosur and the stalled Australia FTA, outlines US Section 122 timelines and a focused UK package, defends steel safeguards, sketches the ASEAN FTA horizon, and elaborates on FTAs as rule‑setting platforms, India agriculture/EV sensitivities, critical‑minerals coordination and legal limits on measures targeting Israeli settlements.

In this chapter

1. Commission response IV: mini‑deals (CIFA/CTIP), Mercosur provisional options and Australia FTA
2. Commission response V: US transition period, UK SPS package, steel safeguards and ASEAN outlook
3. Commission response VI: FTAs as standards platforms, India agriculture/EVs, critical minerals and Israel constraints

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Second MEP round: US timelines, UK/ASEAN files, industrial strategy and agriculture

Bernd Lange and 1 other

In the second Q&A, MEPs split over how fast to ratify the US deal, probe UK SPS and youth mobility prospects, seek clarity on ASEAN FTA sequencing and the Industry Accelerator Act’s scope, and question the handling of combustion‑engine phase‑out, critical raw materials, Mercosur phasing, Ukraine agriculture and EU trade with Israeli settlements.

In this chapter

1. Second round Q&A: US timelines, UK SPS, ASEAN FTAs, industrial strategyBernd Lange
2. Second round Q&A: combustion engine phase‑out, critical raw materials, Mercosur phasing and Ukraine agricultureBernd Lange
3. Second round Q&A: Industry Accelerator Act support and Israel settlements trade

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Commission responses I–III: Mercosur, WTO/MFN, China, Ukraine and India

The Commissioner defends Mercosur and his WTO/MFN reform line, proposes faster FTA ratification and stronger trade‑defence tools on China, justifies calibrated support measures on Ukraine, details safeguards for generics and climate cooperation in the India FTA, and reframes FTAs as opportunities for EU agri‑food exports while addressing BITs and sanctions coherence.

In this chapter

1. Commission response I: defence of Mercosur and MFN/WTO reform agenda
2. Commission response II: faster FTA ratification, China TDIs, Ukraine quotas and US deal defence
3. Commission response III: India climate platform, generics, BITs and EU agri export strategy

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First MEP round: positions on FTAs, US deal, China and Ukraine

Bernd Lange and 1 other

Political groups react to the Commission’s agenda, contest the EU‑US agreement and Mercosur ratification path, raise institutional and legal objections, and question consistency on Ukraine trade preferences, ISDS exposure and sustainability in the India FTA, with farmers’ competitiveness concerns and detailed questions from the chair on the US deal, Mercosur and mini‑deals.

In this chapter

1. First political reactions: Mercosur, MFN principle, Industry Accelerator ActBernd Lange
2. US deal under fire and China focus: critical groups’ positions
3. Institutional and legal tensions over Mercosur and EU‑US agreementEnikő Győri

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Opening and Commission overview of EU trade priorities

Bernd Lange S&D

The chair opens the structured dialogue and the Commissioner sets out the state of play on EU‑US trade tensions, China‑related risks, diversification through FTAs, and planned actions on WTO reform, steel safeguards, FDI screening and GSP.

In this chapter

1. Opening of structured dialogue: agenda and contextBernd Lange
2. Commissioner: transatlantic trade deal and China risks
3. Economic security strategy and FTA diversification (Mercosur, India, Indo‑Pacific)
4. WTO reform, steel safeguards, FDI screening and GSP

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WTO resolution amendments and mandate adoption

Bernd Lange S&D

The committee continues voting on remaining amendments to the WTO resolution, conducts several electronic checks, then adopts the final text and thereby agrees its negotiation mandate for the upcoming WTO conference in Yaoundé, before receiving monitoring group updates and closing the sitting.

In this chapter

1. Votes: WTO resolution final amendments and mandateBernd Lange
2. Monitoring groups: UAE, Maghreb and meeting closureBernd Lange

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Closure of IPR item and trade‑related votes

Bernd Lange S&D

The Chair closes the IPR item, moves to item 11 with a test vote, and the committee proceeds to electronic votes approving the revision of the FDI screening regulation and a Brexit‑related TRQ measure with China, before starting detailed votes on amendments to the draft WTO resolution.

In this chapter

1. Chair: conclusion of IPR item and shift to votesBernd Lange
2. Votes: FDI screening regulation and Brexit TRQ with ChinaBernd Lange
3. Votes: WTO resolution amendments: first batchBernd Lange

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MEP questions and Commission replies on IPR enforcement

Bernd Lange and 1 other

MEPs question the Commission on using FTAs, customs cooperation, SME support tools and international conventions to improve IPR protection, including with China, while the Commission details how FTA IP chapters drive reforms, the limits and role of SME helpdesks, the WTO case against China’s SEP practices, and the planned review of customs IPR enforcement rules.

In this chapter

1. Q&A 1: MEP: FTAs, SME support and conventionsBernd Lange
2. Q&A 2: MEPs and Chair: enforcement, customs and ChinaBrando Benifei
3. Commission replies: FTAs, IP reforms and SME tools
4. Commission replies: China, WTO case and customs reform

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IPR item introduction and Commission briefings

Bernd Lange S&D

The Chair opens item 10 on protection and enforcement of IPR in third countries and the Commission presents its 2025 third‑country IPR report, explains the priority country list, complementary counterfeit and piracy watch list, main infringement patterns and risks, and EU technical cooperation and strategic use of IP as an industrial policy tool.

In this chapter

1. Chair: opening of item 10 on IPRBernd Lange
2. Commission: third-country IPR report and priority list
3. Commission: report as guidance for right holders and SMEs

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WTO reform and AI in trade policy

Bernd Lange and 1 other

External experts present a study on WTO reform and MFN predictability, followed by MEPs and the Commission debating plurilateral initiatives, e‑commerce, China’s role and restoring dispute settlement, before the agenda shifts to AI’s role in trade, competitiveness and enforcement. The rapporteur, political groups and Commission set out positions on AI opportunities, risks, data flows, governance and regulatory coherence in EU trade policy.

In this chapter

1. WTO reform: study findings, MEP debate and Commission lineBernd Lange
2. AI in trade policy: rapporteur, groups and CommissionBernd Lange

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Opening, agenda and Philippines FTA mission

Bernd Lange S&D

Chair opens the sitting, adjusts the agenda and validates coordinators’ decisions and minutes before moving to a debrief of the delegation to Manila focused on prospects, timing and remaining barriers for an EU–Philippines FTA. Members assess political will, business climate, governance concerns and non‑tariff barriers, and flag upcoming delegation work and a WTO study as follow‑up elements.

In this chapter

1. Opening of meeting and agenda changesBernd Lange
2. Philippines mission: FTA prospects and remaining barriersBernd Lange

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