In the last game I've played, The "Open the Trade Routes" Political card presented us with two problematic questions.

I was at 9 VP and I was betting on the "I know spend 6 trade goods" public objective to win the game. But we weren't sure if I might be able to pull it off because of two very unspecific aspects of the the text:

1. The effect is triggered "during the Status Phase".
When? If it triggers before the 1st. step of the phase, then I may not get to keep my trade goods and be able to qualify.

2. The amount I would normally receive?
Does that mean the amount I would get by activating the secondary ability of the Trade Strategy Card ?
Does it mean the amount I got this turn when the Trade Strategy card was activated (regardless of having played the first or second ability) ?
Does it refer to the exact value of my trade agreements w/o counting other modifiers such as technology ?

I've found nothing relevant to this question in the manual or the F.A.Q.

Some help would be great

The original wording for this card WAS rather vague and confusing. In the expansion, the card was actually replaced with the following text:

"This game round, each player must give all of the Trade Goods he receives to the player on his left."

With the new wording, the Status Phase bit is completely removed; it's just that for the rest of the game round, any time you get a TG, y ou give it to the player on your left instead.

(Although when you think about it TOO hard, this could technically result in an endless loop, as if you give it to the player to your left, techincally he received it and must give it to the player on HIS left, etc; but I think it's obvious that giving TGs in this way doesn't count, and I'd say that giving TGs as "bribes" doesn't count either - rather, it only refers to "official" TG receiving such as via cards, Trade, etc).

Yep, that's my interpretation too.

Thanks!

This interpretation sounds adequate.
Aparently, Shattered Empire is becoming quite a necessary buy.

For what it's worth, though, the text for this change is in the FAQ on page 1. While the expansion does provide replacement cards, you don't really "need" it in order to make this change.