EU - Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne attending Foreign Affairs Council in trade format (Brussels, 21 November 2019)

Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, minister of state attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, will attend tomorrow’s meeting of EU trade ministers (Foreign Affairs Council in its trade configuration).

• WTO reform: the ministers will discuss reforming the World Trade Organization (WTO) and preparations for the WTO’s 12th ministerial conference, which will be held in Kazakhstan in June 2020. The minister will underscore the need for an ambitious reform of the WTO that preserves the multilateral trading system and the essential nature of the work under way at the WTO to swiftly resume nominations to the Appellate Body. He will reaffirm France’s support for the European Commission’s efforts in this area.

• Trade relations with the United States: the ministers will review trade relations between the EU and the U.S. and will reaffirm the importance of European unity in this area, as well as that of a constructive, rigorous approach toward the United States.

• EU trade agreements: a policy debate will take place based on the European Commission’s third annual report on the implementation of trade agreements. The minister will reaffirm our desire to re-orient trade policy toward better follow-up and effective compliance with these trade agreements. With respect to discussions on current negotiations, he will emphasize our deep commitment to better coordination between the EU’s trade agenda and our shared sustainable development goals.

• Relations with China: the minister will reiterate the importance of a coordinated, rigorous EU approach toward this partner, based in particular on the principle of reciprocity, which must prevail in current negotiations on a comprehensive investment agreement and ahead of the important meetings that will take place in 2020.