The record
Written from the 1 report below. Nothing here is unsourced.
- Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, on a visit to India, criticised arbitrary trade barriers and market-distorting practices at a dialogue on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, in remarks widely read as aimed at the US and China without naming them.
- He announced that the Port of Antwerp-Bruges will bring a delegation of companies to India in February next year to agree on concrete maritime projects.
- He welcomed India's opening of maritime services and dredging under the FTA and flagged green hydrogen as another key cooperation area.
- Union minister Piyush Goyal proposed joint work in lab-grown diamonds, while Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis offered to fast-track Belgium-linked projects in the state.
What to watch next
- The Port of Antwerp-Bruges delegation visit to India in February and the projects it finalises
- Progress in negotiations on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement
- Follow-through on proposed India-Belgium cooperation in lab-grown diamonds, green hydrogen and Maharashtra projects
Who said what2
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Bart De Wever
2 quotes · 1 outlet
“They decide something on Monday, revoke it on Wednesday and reinstate it on Saturday”
In the article
…push towards protectionism and unpredictable tariff measures. “These days, more and more voices are calling for barriers to go up, for markets to shut off and for tariffs to be imposed. Some do it entirely arbitrarily. They decide something on Monday, revoke it on Wednesday and reinstate it on Saturday ,” he said. Drawing laughter and applause from the audience, De Wever added, “Your applause tells me that you all know who I am talking about.” “I am not going to say the name, but you know who I mean. They do these…
“Others take a different approach and set out deliberately and structurally to distort markets. In doing so, they inflict serious economic damage on their trading partners in order to make them dependent and turn them into vassals”
In the article
…after another,” he said, without naming Trump. In an allusion to China, De Wever also warned against another form of economic pressure, saying some countries deliberately and systematically seek to distort markets. “ Others take a different approach and set out deliberately and structurally to distort markets. In doing so, they inflict serious economic damage on their trading partners in order to make them dependent and turn them into vassals ,” he commented. “These two strategies, protectionism and unfair competition, put our economy and our geopolitical stability under strain and pressure,” he added. De Wever announced that the Port of Antwerp-Bruges will…
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Coverage1
All filed from India
Named Belgium · India · Bharat Diamond Bourse · China · European Union · Bart De Wever · Devendra Fadnavis · Donald Trump · Piyush Goyal · Port of Antwerp-Bruges
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