Hi,

On 20 June 2025, the European Commission implemented measures under the International Procurement Instrument (IPI) for the first time since its introduction in 2022. The measures target medical devices from the People’s Republic of China (China). For at least the next five years, Chinese companies will be restricted from bidding on high-value tenders for medical devices such as X-ray machines, MRI scanners, and dental surgical instruments. By so doing, the Commission aims to pressure China to open its domestic procurement market for these devices to EU bidders. The first Commission implementing regulation imposing measures under the IPI offers an interesting insight into the tensions at the heart of this instrument. Can the EU gain access to foreign procurement markets by restricting access to its own?

The war in Gaza has placed the European Union in a difficult position. Since October 2023, Israel’s military operations have resulted in tens of thousands of Palestinian deaths. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has indicated that Israel may be violating the Genocide Convention. Human Rights Watch has gone further, asserting that Israel is committing genocide. This is not a distant issue for the EU. Israel is an important trading partner, with bilateral trade in goods reaching €42.6 billion in 2024. Services added another €25.6 billion. Israel also participates in Horizon Europe, the EU’s flagship research programme, receiving over €1.1 billion in funding between 2021 and 2024. The question is straightforward: What happens when a close trading partner is plausibly accused of genocide? More specifically, can national courts compel EU member states to act when EU institutions hesitate?

A point that may have been lost on non-US audiences watching in bewilderment at the US president’s tariff decisions is the constitutional basis of trade policy in the United States. Under the US Constitution, trade policy is not a power of the President. It is rather a power of Congress, responsible for regulating 'Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes'. So, why then does the president seem able to do whatever he wants in this space? And, given the unprecedented scope of the duties that have been imposed in recent weeks: has the US president gone too far?

Facing pressure from a US president who suggests Canada become the 51st state, Canada looks to Europe for new alliances. Historical ties and shared democratic values make Europe a natural partner. However, joining the EU is not feasible or advisable. Instead, Canada should adjust its economy and infrastructure to facilitate east-west trade rather than relying only on north-south routes.