The EU-China summit will lack deliverables. Xi may not attend. So why even go?
As Brussels rushes to solve a myriad of geopolitical issues, its ties to the Middle Kingdom are taking a sour turn.
Supply chains
Bjoern Seibert, the power behind Queen Ursula’s throne
Von der Leyen’s chief of staff is the man to call to get things done in Brussels. But for a growing number of critics, he has too much control.
Greek MEPs demand tariff-free trade in medicines as new deadline looms
Greek MEPs Papandreou and Tsiodras warn that US pharma tariffs threaten health and supply chains, urging the Commission to react accordingly.
EXCLUSIVE: EU seeks defence cooperation for future health emergencies
Brussels targets faster innovation, stronger supply chains and military cooperation in new medical countermeasure plan.
EU blocks Britain’s attempts to join pan-European trading bloc
The Pan-Euro-Mediterranean (PEM) convention would reduce exporters’ post-Brexit difficulties with supply chains
Keir Starmer faces a second year nightmare too
It’s not just the welfare rebellion — Keir Starmer goes into his second year with a host of challenges to confront.
Q&A: Europe’s chance to shape the future of global trade
The question isn’t whether globalization will continue, but who will lead it and on what terms, says BMW’s Frank Niederländer. With geopolitical tensions and uncertainty in the world market on the rise, the EU has an opportunity to shape the global trade agenda — if it gets out of its own way. “Europe had the ambition to […]
Inside the Franco-German plot to kill Europe’s ethical supply chain law
The due diligence law was meant to bring EU-style protections to global supply chains. Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz helped all but kill it.
How rare earths could make or break the EU’s defence ambitions
With the ongoing war in Ukraine and escalating conflicts around the world, critical minerals are reshaping security priorities and supply chains.
Join the club: UK seeks to band up with like-minded nations amid Trump’s trade war
“They recognize that the world is changing,” PM Keir Starmer said.
Britain considers joining European customs pact
Joining the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean convention would give companies with international supply chains more flexibility.
EU countries call for massive cuts to ethical supply chain law
The Council’s proposal goes even further the Commission’s and continues a trend of cutting back EU green regulations.
US arms groups woo European rivals as they target region’s rising spending
American contractors are setting up partnerships including building supply chains and manufacturing
Europe’s central banks are all cutting rates, even as tariffs tie the Fed’s hands
And it’s driving Trump mad.
Britain’s got an EU deal — but the Brexit red tape keeps coming
U.K. plows ahead with unpopular ‘Not for EU’ labels in Northern Ireland, despite planned deal with Brussels.
China’s got the world in a rare earth choke hold
Beijing’s dominance in strategically crucial minerals gives it major leverage in trade talks.
‘Donald is right’ and China is the problem, EU chief says
Beijing’s subsidies should be a reason to work together, not tariff each other, Ursula von der Leyen argues.
Europe’s frontier countries ready their hospitals for war
From stockpiling trauma kits for mass casualties to kitting out medics with body armor, wartime health planning is no longer hypothetical on NATO’s eastern flank.
EU’s red tape revenge comes for gas leakage rules
There are fears that new methane emission rules might disadvantage EU firms importing U.S. fuel — just as Europe seeks to buy more of it.
Trump’s latest trade ‘deal’ with China underscores key U.S. disadvantage
After two days of talks in London, China and the U.S. announced the outlines of an agreement to honor a deal they agreed to last month in Geneva.
ECB’s Lagarde gently urges China to change its ways
Central bank president used a speech in Beijing to stress China and the U.S. must share the burden of closing the massive trade gap threatening the global economy.
US-China trade war sideswipes Europe’s carmakers
Beijing’s block on rare earth magnets means “supply chains are running empty,” a German auto supplier complains.
Trump promised Britain a trade deal. So where is it?
A month after the “historic” trade deal between the two sides was announced, duties remain in place with no clear timeline for when they’ll lift.
Trump tariffs could ‘wipe out’ European steel sector, senior industry figure says
ThyssenKrupp executive warns of ‘collateral damage’ to supply chains and urges protective action on energy pricingEurope’s steel industry faces being “wiped out” in the face of Donald Trump’s prohibitive 50% tariffs, high energy costs and a mountain of…
US Senator Graham wants to punish Russia with ‘bone-crushing’ sanctions. It could backfire.
The proposed 500 percent tariffs on countries that buy Russian energy could cut the US off from major trade partners.
Macron to visit Greenland on June 15
French president to meet with Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
Musk goes scorched earth: Trump will cause recession, implies he should be impeached
“The Trump tariffs will cause a recession in the second half of this year,” Musk wrote on X.
ECB cuts again as it heads into an uncertain future
The central bank expects big spending programs at home to offset weaker demand for eurozone exports.
EU businesses lobby China for rare earths ‘fast-track’ channel
Beijing’s strict controls on critical minerals threaten supply chains worldwide
UK puts new Brexit checks on hold while it negotiates agri-food deal
Problematic checks on fresh produce effectively delayed indefinitely.
Merz’s coalition agrees on policy program aimed at boosting Germany’s economy
The first formal meeting of coalition partners ends in success as the parties agree on a wide range of measures for the government.
Copenhagen hits back as Berlin and Paris push to scrap rules on green supply chains
Danish minister agrees reporting obligations for companies need simplifying, but insists on the new regulations’ merit
UK and EU ready for drawn-out battle on defense deal
Warm words at the Brexit reset summit can’t hide big splits over how to proceed on Britain’s participation in a crucial EU defense fund.
Macron clashes with allies over call to scrap EU ethical supply chain law
French president sides with far-right camp in call to scrap EU due diligence law.
In Trump’s war on clean energy, China (and everyone else) wins
It’s a shift from the U.S. president’s first term, and is driving a fresh wedge within his Republican Party.
Ireland is Trump’s Trojan horse
If Brussels is serious about maintaining the integrity of its tech rules, it needs to focus on shifting regulation away from Dublin.
Europe needs to go much further in slashing red tape, French minister urges
Benjamin Haddad says the EU has a window to act right now.
Wildfires push forest destruction to 20-year high just as EU delays anti-deforestation rules
It comes as the European Union decided to delay new trade legislation to curb forest destruction worldwide.
Macron and Merz call for abolition of EU law on ethical supply chains
Leaders of Europe’s two most powerful countries ramp up EU’s pro-business, anti-green push by calling for repeal of due diligence rule.
Europe’s pharmaceutical industry is at a crossroads
As discussions on the General Pharmaceutical Legislation come to a head, Europe faces two choices: becoming a leader in innovative research, development and manufacturing, or losing its global standing.
Macron backs call to scrap EU sustainability rules
The French president called on the European Union to abolish a directive on corporate sustainability that requires large companies to show supply chains upholding human rights and environmental standards.
Time for the EU to close the Brexit chapter
The bloc needs to anchor the U.K. to its security interests, priorities and values.
Replacing US military support in Europe would cost $1T
European NATO countries would face a short-term “window of vulnerability” against Russian aggression.
US investors started snubbing Europe before Trump’s tariffs, study shows
American investment in Europe dropped by 24 percent from 2023 to 2024. With Donald Trump’s tariffs, things could get even worse.
Big Pharma is using tariffs to hold Europe to ransom
We can have a world where everyone has access to the medicines they need. But both Trump and pharma companies will push us in the opposite direction.
China invites UK to its AI summit
Offer to come along to July gathering comes amid on-off relationship between Beijing and London.
Unregulated arms: The unchecked catalyst of global instability
From civilian violence to industrial control, the arms industry has successfully evaded fit-for-purpose regulation and accountability. Now more than ever, a collaborative response is required to reverse its devastating impact.
EU Defence Commissioner calls for more integration with Ukraine defence industry
The EU needs to learn from Ukraine’s battle-earned experience and work with the war-torn country to secure supply chains for critical capabilities, especially drones, the Commissioner for Defence has said.
Trump hails ‘total reset’ with China after Geneva trade meeting
Washington and Beijing are trying to defuse trade tensions in talks in Switzerland.
Trump poised to announce trade agreement with UK
Specifics of the agreement were not immediately available.
Blow to UK clean power goals as major wind project shelved
The Hornsea 4 project secured government backing at the end of 2024.
Barbie dolls become new victim of Trump’s tariff war
“Well, maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls,” the U.S. president shrugged last week. Now prices are indeed going up.
Africa’s message to the world: Do you want to be part of the next economic miracle?
Cuts to international aid are a wake-up call that the continent’s nations need to find a way to bolster their own development. And for that, Africa needs investment.
Trump’s tariffs come for fast fashion, and the blowback could be fierce.
Low-value packages from China will now be hit with a tariff. It’ll hurt online shoppers who have been increasingly drawn to cheap goods.
EU views break from US as ‘unrealistic’ amid global tech race
A draft strategy obtained by POLITICO points to the difficulty of unwinding years of American technological dominance.
Europe has risky reliance on China for low-tech chips, auditors warn
Brussels is far from meeting its targets to reshore microchips manufacturing.
Keir Starmer bets on green patriotism to beat fossil fuels — and Farage
The U.K. government wants to “take back control” of energy supply — but is it swapping one dependence for another?
Miliband: We can work with US and China on energy security
The U.S. has used the summit to promote fossil fuels over the transition to net zero.
Trump official rips climate policy at London energy summit
Acting Assistant Secretary Tommy Joyce also took aim at Joe Biden’s climate legacy.
Longtime US allies say they have ways to fight back against Trump, and they’ll use them
Plans are being drawn up and, as one EU diplomat said, “We’ll take decisions to protect ourselves.”
Musk stepping back from government work amid plummeting Tesla sales
Elon Musk said in an earnings call Tuesday that he will turn more of his attention to Tesla starting next month.
Why Keir Starmer’s British Steel sugar rush threatens a hangover
The British prime minister has big decisions to make after taking control of the U.K.’s last virgin steel-producing plant.
EU calls on Trump to engage in ‘two-way street’ on tariffs
“Now, it is necessary for the U.S. to define its position,” says EU trade negotiator after talks in Washington.
It’s not just British Steel. Here’s where the UK is hooked on China
Britain took back control of the steelmaker from a Chinese firm. But don’t expect a massive rethink of the China-addicted U.K. economy.
Spring drought threatens Europe’s farms and rivers
Central and Eastern European countries are missing April showers, creating possible trouble for supply chains and farmers.
Sony makes ‘tough decision’ to raise PS5 prices in Europe and UK
Japanese group cites ‘challenging economic environment’ as Trump’s tariffs throw supply chains into uncertainty
Trump says pharma tariffs will entice back drug production. They won’t.
Pharmaceuticals were the EU’s largest export to the U.S. last year, worth a reported $127B.
US to launch probe that could trigger semiconductor tariffs
The investigation could lead to new tariffs on semiconductors in a move that would have sweeping implications for Asian countries and the tech sector.
Trump rode to victory on the economy. Democrats see a way to flip that on its head.
Party strategists say a relatable message on the economy could be the way out of the wilderness for Democrats.
Trump’s tariffs war set to hit UK growth, warns Bank of England
But Breeden said the impact on inflation, and therefore the Bank’s interest-rate decision in May, is uncertain at this stage.
Facing Trump tariff threat, Germany’s new government bets big on boosting economy
Friedrich Merz’s new administration promises tax cuts, energy price reductions and a blitz of public-private investment funds.
Big nuclear industrial project gets EU nod
The European Union on Wednesday gave its go-ahead for a new, large-scale industrial policy project on nuclear technologies. At least four member countries will be able to design and spearhead a so-called “Important Project of Common European Interest” (IPCEI) on nuclear, EU governments and the European Commission decided at a high-level forum in Brussels. Twelve […]
Musk and Navarro square off amid tariff turmoil
The spat is an unusual public fight from top White House advisers.
Trump’s deregulation agenda threatens global financial stability
The U.S. president’s return brings renewed promises of financial “liberation.” But behind the rhetoric lies a deeper threat — and it’s not just to the U.S. economy.
From seed to shelf: AI’s transformative potential for Europe’s growth — starting with food
AI might not be a silver bullet to all the challenges we face, but it’s a golden opportunity to shape an efficient, innovative and empowered food system that’s fit for the future.
EU auto industry faces major setback as Trump’s 25% tariffs take effect
European car makers are bracing for impact as U.S. President Donald Trump’s 25 percent tariffs on imported cars, announced in late March, came into effect on Thursday. The move has already disrupted global supply chains, with major European manufactur…
Northern Ireland’s firms fear they’ll lose millions in Trump’s trade war
A system allowing firms to claim back EU tariffs imposed on U.S. imports is “not fit for purpose,” says Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister.
India could help save an aging Europe
As the continent tilts to the right and its politicians find it hard to explain an influx of refugees from war-torn countries, India is actively trying to present itself as a reasonable partner.
Trump’s tariffs threaten US weapons production
President Donald Trump’s tariffs aren’t just an economic disruption. They’re a security one. His program, if implemented as planned, could muddle global supply chains the Pentagon has spent decades creating, make American weapons more expensive, and complicate international efforts to counter China — such as joint ventures to build submarines with the United Kingdom and […]
Italy’s Meloni strains to hold her coalition together over Ukraine and EU rearmament
The Italian prime minister has kept her coalition surprisingly intact for years — but pressure is building as Donald Trump pushes Europe to pick sides.
Italy’s Meloni strains to hold her coalition together over Ukraine and EU rearmament
The Italian prime minister has kept her coalition surprisingly intact for years — but pressure is building as Donald Trump pushes Europe to pick sides.
Carney says tariffs force new era for Canada-US ties
“The old relationship we had with the United States … is over,” the prime minister after latest Trump threats.
US announces Black Sea deal with Russia and Ukraine
The region’s shipping safety has vexed the international community amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
How to create a true common market for defence
Even Eurosceptics and Britain-bashers should acknowledge the advantage of smooth weaponry supply chains
Brexit a key factor in worst UK medicine shortages in four years, report says
Nuffield Trust says supply chains have shifted, with drugs for epilepsy and cystic fibrosis among those now scarceDrug shortages in the UK have risen to their worst level for four years, official figures show, with Brexit considered a key reason so man…
No industry, no tanks: EU bets on more clean steel to secure its future
Saving and greening European steel mills is now a key part of the EU’s defence strategy.
Dutch health minister backs Critical Medicines Act, says full implications being assessed
According to the Dutch regulatory authority, the CMA could help reduce vulnerabilities in supply chains and improve the availability of critical medicines.
Von der Leyen calls for collective arms purchases by 2030
Europe has to rely more on its own resources, the Commission chief said.
Defense giants want von der Leyen to boost made-in-Europe tech
European industrial and tech firms want the EU’s backing to reduce reliance on the U.S.
Belgium wanted a drug shortages bill. It’s not happy with the EU’s plan.
Belgium first called for a law to tackle drug shortages in May 2023.
Development banks as key players in defense financing
Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego and other national promotional bank institutions’ experience is readily available to leverage military expenditure in Europe.
EU plans to boost medicines manufacturing in drug shortages bill
The Critical Medicines Act is the EU’s attempt to tackle manufacturing dependencies on India and China.
Here’s Britain’s pitch to Donald Trump on a new tech pact
The U.K. hopes teaming up with the U.S. on advanced tech might help avoid the president’s tariff wrath.
Von der Leyen’s first 100 days, graded
The Commission president promised to pull off seven political feats by March 10. Here’s how she did.
Trump tariff war would hurt Boeing more than Airbus
The U.S. plane-maker could be the “biggest victim” of a tariff war.
Commission mulls defence industry business simplification
It is the latest step in the EU proposals to help countries purchase more arms and other defence gear, and for the industry to ramp up its production, or secure its ability to do so.
Northern Ireland risks being caught in crossfire of Trump’s trade war
Tariffs from any side could create a fresh Brexit headache for traders in the sensitive region.
ECB set to cut interest rates again as inflation takes a back seat to Trump
But is it enough for the central bank just to take its foot off the brake?
Diversify supply chains, build stockpiles, work with Ukrainian tech, Norway’s missile maker says
“No industry wants to have trade wars,” the President of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace told Euractiv.
Czech farmers lead fresh EU border protests over Ukraine, LatAm trade deals
Farmers from Germany, Poland, Austria, Hungary and Slovakia join Czech-led demonstrations, rejecting Ukraine’s efforts to ease concerns over cheap imports.