EU Maps Out Its Own Concessions Plan After Rejecting U.S. Push to Weaken Green Rules

Overview

• The European Commission is preparing a checklist to package its deregulation drive as trade concessions on its terms, focusing on items referenced in the August joint statement such as the carbon border tax, deforestation rules, supply chain transparency and green reporting.
• Commission officials say no existing EU laws will be unwound for a tariff deal, with the deputy chief spokesperson emphasizing that the bloc will stick to faithful implementation of the joint statement.
• Trade chief Sabine Weyand told EU ambassadors in a restricted meeting that the Commission will not use a U.S.-drafted position paper as the basis for negotiations.
• Reporting on the U.S. document says it seeks to drop EU requirements for companies to produce climate plans and address environmental and human rights risks in supply chains, labeling EU measures regulatory over-reach.
• Negotiations are being handled in tight secrecy, with national capitals denied the U.S. paper and ambassadors barred from bringing phones to the briefing, and Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič has been in contact with U.S. counterpart Jamieson Greer.