Rob Francis
@robfranciseu.bsky.social
Managing editor and Brussels editor for Borderlex covering EU trade policy and coordinating coverage in across London, Geneva, and much else besides. Recovering lobbyist. Occasional meme maker. Season ticket holder Union Saint-Gilloise and Belgium
Convincing support for the EU-Singapore digital trade agreement in the European Parliament. The Left had tabled a resolution asking for an ECJ judgement on the text but this was roundly rejected
November 13, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Convincing support for the EU-Singapore digital trade agreement in the European Parliament. The Left had tabled a resolution asking for an ECJ judgement on the text but this was roundly rejected
Two key trade takeaways from yesterday's EU-Egypt summit related to sustainable investment facilitation talks and Cairo's support for WTO plurilateral on investment facilitation
October 23, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Two key trade takeaways from yesterday's EU-Egypt summit related to sustainable investment facilitation talks and Cairo's support for WTO plurilateral on investment facilitation
Wow, MEPs reject the agreement reached on the due diligence and corporate reporting omnibus by 9 votes. Agreement had been struck between EPP, S&D and Renew but was voted down by Conservative, far right and far left lawmakers. Back to the drawing board!
October 22, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Wow, MEPs reject the agreement reached on the due diligence and corporate reporting omnibus by 9 votes. Agreement had been struck between EPP, S&D and Renew but was voted down by Conservative, far right and far left lawmakers. Back to the drawing board!
Sharing this here from X because the commission’s comms on bluesky is, well, ‘suboptimal’
October 21, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Sharing this here from X because the commission’s comms on bluesky is, well, ‘suboptimal’
This is what the EU and Morocco are relying on to legalise the extension of their trade agreement to Western Sahara signed on Friday and entered into force on same day. NGOs say this funding will mostly just benefit Rabat
October 6, 2025 at 12:08 PM
This is what the EU and Morocco are relying on to legalise the extension of their trade agreement to Western Sahara signed on Friday and entered into force on same day. NGOs say this funding will mostly just benefit Rabat
EU obviously has nothing to worry about here because it’s agreed with the US that any future tariffs will be capped at 15%….right?
September 26, 2025 at 4:44 AM
EU obviously has nothing to worry about here because it’s agreed with the US that any future tariffs will be capped at 15%….right?
Yeah, Politico ballsed up the names of not one but two football teams yesterday, one of which is in the city where they publish 🤦🏻♂️
September 18, 2025 at 6:38 AM
Yeah, Politico ballsed up the names of not one but two football teams yesterday, one of which is in the city where they publish 🤦🏻♂️
We’re gonna win this thing! :)
September 16, 2025 at 6:47 PM
We’re gonna win this thing! :)
ICYMI Trump carried out his side of the bargain with the EU and reduced tariffs on cars and car parts to 15%, retroactive from 1 August. The relevant section from Friday’s executive order is here
September 8, 2025 at 5:25 AM
ICYMI Trump carried out his side of the bargain with the EU and reduced tariffs on cars and car parts to 15%, retroactive from 1 August. The relevant section from Friday’s executive order is here
In non-Mercosur news, a tree has fallen on the 92 tramline linking Uccle with the centre of Brussels. If you are in Uccle and want to reach the centre of Brussels…maybe take another form of transport (or just stay home, like me)
September 3, 2025 at 1:16 PM
In non-Mercosur news, a tree has fallen on the 92 tramline linking Uccle with the centre of Brussels. If you are in Uccle and want to reach the centre of Brussels…maybe take another form of transport (or just stay home, like me)
Despite the EU's countervailing duties, the EU still imports more electric vehicles from China than anyone else (h/t Soapbox newsletter)
September 1, 2025 at 7:04 AM
Despite the EU's countervailing duties, the EU still imports more electric vehicles from China than anyone else (h/t Soapbox newsletter)
Trump signals he could slap additional tariffs on countries with digital rules that he says discriminate against US tech firms.
August 26, 2025 at 5:33 AM
Trump signals he could slap additional tariffs on countries with digital rules that he says discriminate against US tech firms.
Trump signals he could slap additional tariffs on countries with digital rules that he says discriminate against US tech firms.
August 26, 2025 at 5:33 AM
Trump signals he could slap additional tariffs on countries with digital rules that he says discriminate against US tech firms.
Difficullt times for EU wine exporters (h/t Soapbox newsletter)
August 25, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Difficullt times for EU wine exporters (h/t Soapbox newsletter)
EU and US still haggling over trade deal fineprint
August 19, 2025 at 2:29 PM
EU and US still haggling over trade deal fineprint
Good morning (h/t Soapbox newsletter)
August 18, 2025 at 7:37 AM
Good morning (h/t Soapbox newsletter)
People told us not to refer to Trump's blanket tariffs as "reciprocal tariffs", and yet the European Commission regulation published yesterday does just that. It doesn't even qualify the term with speech marks
July 25, 2025 at 7:13 AM
People told us not to refer to Trump's blanket tariffs as "reciprocal tariffs", and yet the European Commission regulation published yesterday does just that. It doesn't even qualify the term with speech marks
The at-a-glance new tariffs for select US trade partners from 1 August
July 8, 2025 at 7:24 AM
The at-a-glance new tariffs for select US trade partners from 1 August
Great reporting in The Guardian, capturing the chaos in Trump's court. That first sentence could be a t-shirt.
July 7, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Great reporting in The Guardian, capturing the chaos in Trump's court. That first sentence could be a t-shirt.
The annual @spiritseu.bsky.social cocktail menu
July 3, 2025 at 5:27 PM
The annual @spiritseu.bsky.social cocktail menu
The brochure goes on to dispel some myths such as “cheap meat will flood our domestic markets”
June 25, 2025 at 4:01 PM
The brochure goes on to dispel some myths such as “cheap meat will flood our domestic markets”
At an event at the Austrian perm rep in Brussels on the EU-Mercosur agreement. How times have changed! “New opportunities for Austria” reads a brochure on show. Vienna now backing the agreement apparently
June 25, 2025 at 3:59 PM
At an event at the Austrian perm rep in Brussels on the EU-Mercosur agreement. How times have changed! “New opportunities for Austria” reads a brochure on show. Vienna now backing the agreement apparently