Please find attached the April edition of the FESITrade Monthly Monitor, highlighting key developments across the EU trade agenda.

This month’s update reflects continued momentum in the EU’s trade policy, with several important developments across FTAs, customs reform, and international trade relations.

The European Commission has advanced work on key bilateral agreements. Notably, tariff schedules under the EU–Indonesia CEPA confirm the elimination of many textile and apparel duties upon entry into force, while the EU–India FTA is progressing towards signature by the end of the year. Negotiations with ASEAN partners also continue to move forward, including steady progress in talks with Thailand and the Philippines, where both sides aim to conclude an agreement in 2026.

On implementation, the EU–Mercosur agreement is expected to be provisionally applied from spring 2026, marking a significant step in expanding market access for EU exporters. At the same time, the EU has concluded negotiations on a landmark trade agreement with Australia, further strengthening its global trade network.

Within the EU, important progress has been made on Customs Reform, with a political agreement reached on a new framework to address growing trade volumes and e-commerce challenges. This includes the creation of an EU Customs Authority and new measures targeting low-value imports, reflecting increasing scrutiny of compliance in online trade.

EU–US trade relations remain dynamic. While the European Parliament has advanced work on the Turnberry deal, broader uncertainty persists following recent US trade investigations and evolving tariff measures, which may impact key sectors including textiles.

At the multilateral level, the WTO Ministerial Conference delivered limited outcomes, underlining ongoing challenges in global trade governance.

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