Angola’s economy is characterised by an extremely high dependency on two exports: oil (95% of total exports) and diamonds (3-4% of total exports). Not only is this unsustainable - oil reserves are expected to be depleted in the medium term, and extraction generates few jobs - but it also means that the country is extremely vulnerable to oil price shocks. Export diversification is therefore imperative and urgent. Periodic increases in the world oil price (as happening presently) or postponements of graduation from least developed country status are no excuses for inertia!

Since 1971, the EU Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) has offered easier access to the EU market for goods exported from developing countries by eliminating or reducing import tariffs unilaterally (i.e. on a non-reciprocal basis). The current legal basis for the GSP, Council Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 of 25 October 2012, will expire at the end of 2023. If no new GSP Regulation is enacted, the Standard GSP and the GSP+ will be discontinued, and imports from the current beneficiary countries would attract the “normal” EU tariffs; only the EBA would continue to be applied. For the European Commission's DG TRADE, we provided an assessment of various policy options considered for certain elements of the GSP; The final report is now public. More information is available on the study website.

The nexus between Trade and Gender and Social Inclusion (GESI) has attracted increasing attention in recent years and has led to important international political consensus, including the WTO’s 2017 Buenos Aires Declaration on Women and Trade. However, the trade and GESI agenda still faces significant challenges as it has not yet been translated into many practical actions, with uncertainty often remaining on how to approach the objective of fostering trade that is both socially inclusive and helps reduce gender inequalities.

As part of the project "Improving Trade Facilitation Environment in IGAD Region" which we're implementing with the Pan-African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PACCI), the Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) and the African Development Bank, a briefing paper has just been published. It provides a rapid assessment of the immediate effects of COVID-19 on trade and trade facilitation in the IGAD region, with a particular focus on the Ethiopia-Djibouti corridor. Download the paper from PACCI's website.

For the European Commission's DG TRADE, we are conducting ex post evaluations of the EU's trade agreements with Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, and with Central America. The two studies assess the economic, social, environmental and human rights impacts of the trade agreements, as well as the performance of the implementation and monitoring institutions established under them.

More information is available on the respective evaluation study websites: EU-Colombia/Ecuador/Peru and EU-Central America.

Voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) have emerged as one of the main tools used to articulate, encourage and enforce sustainable and ethical practices in global value chains. With this study we explore the nature and evolution of VSS and assess their potential contribution to gender equality and women’s empowerment (SDG 5). The purpose of the study is to enable policymakers in developing and emerging economies to identify opportunities to engage with VSS initiatives as a means to deliver on gender commitments while also promoting trade and economic development.