19.04.2021_Editorial

All those years at the conference table with China have paid off for Maria Martin-Prat: The EU negotiator for the investment agreement between the community of states and Beijing (CAI) has been promoted to deputy director-general within the EU Directorate for Trade. Meanwhile, no progress is being made for the CAI in the European Parliament: The responsible monitoring group of the Committee on International Trade has suspended its meetings since the imposition of Chinese sanctions against several EU parliamentarians. The agreement will not be touched again until Beijing withdraws the punitive measures against MEPs, according to trade committee circles. With the sanctions, there is no majority for the CAI in the EU Parliament. If necessary, work on the agreement will be suspended until the French EU Council presidency begins – which is in January 2022.