The inevitable USA - EU trade war

[velik_m]

We might as well start the thread for the upcoming USA - EU trade war. Trump's tech sponsors hate the EU and Trump has no idea how EU works, so his one-trick tariff stunt performance will inevitably backfire.

Free trade agreements of the United States

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/FTAs_with_the_United_States.svg/1280px-FTAs_with_the_United_States.svg.png

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_trade_agreements_of_the_United_States

Free trade agreements of the European Union

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/EU_FTA_2024.svg/1920px-EU_FTA_2024.svg.png

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_trade_agreements_of_the_European_Union


Trump says EU tariffs will ‘definitely happen’ as Mexico, Canada and China retaliate
...

Trump said on Sunday night that new tariffs on the EU would “definitely happen”, repeating previous complaints about the large US trade deficit with the bloc and his desire for Europe to import more American cars and agricultural products.

“It will definitely happen with the European Union, I can tell you that,” he told reporters. “I wouldn’t say there’s a timeline but it’s going to be pretty soon.”

Trump appeared to take a softer line on the UK, citing a good relationship with the prime minister, Keir Starmer, while saying tariffs still “might happen”. “The UK is out of line but I’m sure that one, I think that one can be worked out,” he said. “Well Prime Minister Starmer’s been very nice, we’ve had a couple of meetings, we’ve had numerous phone calls, we’re getting along very well, we’ll see whether or not we can balance out our budget.”

Before Trump’s latest threat to the EU, a spokesperson for the European Commission said on Sunday that the union would “respond firmly to any trading partner that unfairly or arbitrarily imposes tariffs on EU goods”. The EU responded to previous Trump tariffs by imposing duties on emblematic American goods made in Republican-leaning states, such as Harley-Davidson motorbikes, bourbon and orange juice.
...



https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/02/trump-tariffs-mexico-canada-china-retaliation

[velik_m]

EU-Mexico agreement

Trade relations between the EU and Mexico are currently governed by the trade pillar of a 2000 agreement called the EU-Mexico Economic Partnership, Political Coordination and Cooperation Agreement (also referred to as the 'Global Agreement').

On 17 January 2025, the EU concluded negotiations on a modernised Global Agreement with Mexico.

Once ratified, the EU's modernised Global Agreement with Mexico will replace the agreement currently in force.

The new deal will:

Increase EU agri-food exports by removing high tariffs, benefitting European farmers;
Make it easier for EU companies to bid for government contracts, invest and provide services in a variety of sectors in Mexico;
Provide extra benefits for small businesses through simplified standards and procedures;
Strengthen the protection of climate and labour rights through enhanced cooperation and enforceable commitments, and;
Allow more secure supply of materials critical for the green and digital transitions.

...


https://policy.trade.ec.europa.eu/eu-trade-relationships-country-and-region/countries-and-regions/mexico/eu-mexico-agreement_en

[velik_m]

US Cloud soon illegal? Trump punches first hole in EU-US Data Deal
...

The EU-US Data Transfer System - a mix of EU and US law. Generally, EU law prohibits exporting personal data to countries outside of the EU since 1995, unless there is an absolute need (e.g. when sending an email to any non-EU country). Data can be sent abroad when the non-EU country provides "essentially equivalent" protection of Europeans' personal data. The US, on the other hand, has very strong mass surveillance laws (e.g. FISA702 or EO 12.333), that allow the US government to access any data stored with Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, Google and any other US Big Tech firm without probable cause or individual judicial approval. Therefore, the European Court of Justice has held twice (Schrems I and Schrems II) that US law is not "essentially equivalent". However, Ursula von der Leyen has insisted to pass a third EU-US deal, called "Transatlantic Data Privacy Framework" (TADPF).

TADPF was built on sand. On 10.7.2023 the European Commission issued Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/1795, formally passing the TADPF. This allowed any EU business to freely transfer data to US providers, despite US surveillance laws. The European Commission relied on (very questionable) executive orders or letters by the US government, including the PCLOB, to find that the US is "essentially equivalent". However, these elements are not reflected in US statutes and codified law, because there was no majority in the US Congress to pass such laws. It was long criticised that the next US president could kill these protections with the strike of a pen. This scenario is now on the horizon. In its decision, the European Commission mentioned the PCLOB a whopping 31 times to explain why the US has "essentially equivalent" protections. The PCLOB is the only general "oversight" body that monitors if US services actually compy with laws, orders and other promises. Other elements of US law, like various redress mechanisms, require a plaintiff to become active. The US has traditionally blocked access to these bodies via various "standing" rules, leading to basically no lawsuits ever beeing admitted. This means that the PCLOB is the only relevant oversight mechanism that the TADPF relied upon.
...

45 days for next crunch point. In one of the first Executive Orders Trump has signed on Monday, he determined that all Biden national security decisions (including the relevant decisions that the EU-US transfers rely upon) shall be reviewed and potentially scrapped within 45 days. This means that further elements the TADPF relied upon could collapse within days. As the entire deal is based on Biden executive decisions, Trump could scrap all key elements of the deal with a single signature – leading to instantly illegal data transfers between the EU and the US.

...


https://noyb.eu/en/us-cloud-soon-illegal-trump-punches-first-hole-eu-us-data-deal

[Winehole23]

Trump is a vandal, he only knows how to wreck shit

[Winehole23]

Trump's big ask in the past has been to be that EU member countries spend 5% of their budgets on defense, which US defense contractors will end up pocketing.

But this pain point for both the EU and the US (from the article posted above) could be key.


Now, everyone from large banks, entire national school systems to many small businesses may wake up to a legal situation, where the use of US cloud products is soon illegal.

[Winehole23]

here, as elsewhere in the world, the US bullying allies and otherwise friendly countries is bound to have some economic and strategic drawbacks.

[velik_m]

Trudeau heads to Europe to shore up alliances in face of Trump threats

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will try to strengthen Canada's trade and security ties over the next five days with European allies also facing threats from U.S. President Donald Trump over their economy and sovereignty.

Trudeau is heading to Paris and Brussels starting Saturday — just days after Trump agreed to pause tariffs on Canada until March 4.

Roland Paris, a former adviser to Trudeau, says it's important for Canada and the European Union (EU) to share notes about how to deal with Trump during this time of great uncertainty and co-ordinate if he does unleash punishing tariffs against them.

"Nobody knows what Donald Trump is going to do next," said Paris, who is also a professor of international affairs at the University of Ottawa.

"He keeps throwing out crazy ideas. He threatens the most dire consequences. Everybody is on the edge of their seat wondering what he's going to do and whether they're going to be the next target. In that kind of environment of uncertainty it's important for leaders to be speaking with each other."

Trump is threatening economic warfare against Canada and is setting his sights on the EU next.

The U.S. president warned on Monday he could expand tariffs to the EU, hitting the 27-nation bloc with a 10 per cent levy on all goods. He's pledging to take control of Greenland — a self-governing, autonomous territory that's part of NATO member Denmark — while pushing all 32 NATO countries to dramatically increase their defence spending.

...


https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-paris-brussels-trump-uncertainty-1.7452693

[FrostKing]

Ya not good for us Europeans. Germany had meltdown within hours of the election results. Calling for recall election.

I have USA passport so I'll speak on it. People only love America when it's a bitch. And that won't be anytime soon under Donald.

[hater]

:lmao the Eu are a bumch of pussy chihuahuas

They will bend over and take uncle sams dong up their assholes.

And they will love it

Cheers :tu

[velik_m]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXtXahowH-M

[velik_m]

Three American goods that could rise in price due to metal tariffs

...
Robert Budway, president of the CMI, said without exemptions for can manufacturers to import steel tariff free, grocery prices for canned foods made in the US are likely to rise.

"While the president may believe that these tariffs are protecting the steel industry, they certainly are undermining our food security and our supply resiliency for American canned food, which Americans rely on every day," Mr Budway said.

When it comes to aluminium, brewers and makers of fizzy drinks, such as Coca-Cola, have also warned the move will add costs and could lead to higher prices for customers.

...

But he said it was still "realistic" to expect some of the costs from the metals tariffs to trickle down to buyers.

However he noted that Trump's announcement of tariffs on all goods imported from Canada and Mexico, currently on hold until March, would have a much bigger impact for buyers.

At a business conference, Ford chief executive Jim Farley warned Trump's recent moves were causing "a lot of cost and a lot of chaos" for his industry.

TD Economics has estimated cars could go up in price by about $3,000 if blanket tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada came into force.

...

The construction industry as a sector is one of the single biggest users of steel, which developers and homebuilders need for everything from building frames to appliances.

Carl Harris, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders, said the decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminium ran "totally counter" to Trump's stated goal of making housing more affordable, warning it would raise costs and deter development and rebuilding.

"Ultimately, consumers will pay for these tariffs in the form of higher home prices," he warned.

...



https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3vp06k90d5o

[velik_m]

The European VAT is Not a Discriminatory Tax Against US Exports

...

However, when discussing trade with the EU specifically, White House deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, added a new policy grievance to the mix: value-added taxes (VAT).

“Did you know when you ship a car from the US to Europe, if they let it in at all because they have many nontariff barriers, between the VAT and duties, that car is taxed at 30%? The German car—or a European car sent the America is taxed at 2.5%—or basically 0.”

His statement assumes that a VAT discriminates against American car exports like a tariff, and conversely, that the VAT rebate provided to European car producers exporting to the US constitutes a subsidy and the car then simply faces a tariff and no VAT. (It is worth noting that both a domestic automobile and a European car sold in the US would face US state sales tax
.)

While it may seem like a compelling political argument to justify across-the-board tariffs on the EU, it instead reflects a complete misunderstanding of what a VAT is and how it works. Worse, it misplaces the blame for a lack of US competitiveness on the European VAT instead of reevaluating the flaws of both the US federal and state tax systems.

...

The disadvantages created by the sales tax, therefore, aren’t unique to goods exported abroad. They aren’t the consequence of trade policy, but of poor tax policy. Europe’s VATs are not tariffs and are not subsidizing European exports. Instead, US states’ poorly-designed sales taxes are harming their own businesses’ competitiveness—whether they’re selling down the street, across state lines, or around the world.

...


https://taxfoundation.org/blog/trump-reciprocal-tariffs-eu-vat-discriminatory/

[koriwhat]

Fuck the EU!

[Thread]

Fuck the EU!

Amen.

[FrostKing]

Bad news for EU. But time to get off the USA titty and reevaluate. If overseas is scapegoat then the formula is wrong.

[Thread]

Bad news for EU. But time to get off the USA titty and reevaluate.


Amen.

[GAustex]

Trump is a vandal, he only knows how to wreck shit

He sure wrecked you

[Thread]

here, as elsewhere in the world, the US bullying allies and otherwise friendly countries is bound to have some economic and strategic drawbacks.

Let European countries control EuropePERIOD

[Thread]

He sure wrecked you

The reality of Trump holding the con for the next 4 years is preying on the old Winester. If (they) only had the House to slow this juggernaut down a might he'd/they'd have a counterpoint 24/7, but they got shit, only MSM, + a gaggle of American judges trying to head Trump off at a thousand passes.

"We're gonna have to stand down again, ain't we?"

[Winehole23]

https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:lamzlaxo4gvxvz65vsbrhvty/bafkreicmezqvu2quxgeop5uykryl3aysxu4as6suojp4izlhs ip27pu3vq@jpeg

[Thread]

https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:lamzlaxo4gvxvz65vsbrhvty/bafkreicmezqvu2quxgeop5uykryl3aysxu4as6suojp4izlhs ip27pu3vq@jpeg

This has been comin' a long, long time. May as well have it out now.

Let us proceed...

[velik_m]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EMg-o7DlT8

[velik_m]

US blacklists Switzerland for “unfair trade”

The blacklisting was confirmed by the Director of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco), Helene Budliger Artieda, in an interview with the CH-Media newspapers.

...

Switzerland has a positive balance of trade in goods and therefore appears on this list. “But we certainly can’t be accused of being unfair. Switzerland has unilaterally abolished its industrial tariffs, we have no pharmaceutical tariffs. US companies can export their products to Switzerland duty-free,” said Budliger Artieda.

...



https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/multinational-companies/usa-puts-switzerland-on-list-of-countries-with-unfair-trade-practices/88983677

[Winehole23]

unfortunately, the trend seems to be in the direction of mutual antagonism

toward real war, not just a trade war

[Thread]

unfortunately, the trend seems to be in the direction of mutual antagonism

toward real war, not just a trade war

But we won't be involved in this war, so, they'll be no WW3. This will be European War exclusively.

And should be. The only way forward is for Europe to create and hold country by country MIC's. Transfer their wealth from their populace welfare/healthcare to MIC, like we do. They'll only have to supply their MIC for their country unlike the U.S. who supply our MIC for the entire free world.

Just have to hope and pray that Trump does this. Sure, I hate having to support Israel, but if we can get out of Europe altogether I'd make that deal in a heartbeat.

After our MIC to the world we ain't nothing special. We're 36 trillion in debt, it's humiliating. Yet we act as if we're solvent.

[Winehole23]

But we won't be involved in this war, so, they'll be no WW3. This will be European War exclusively.if we're allied with Russia now, we could get drawn into it

[Thread]

if we're allied with Russia now, we could get drawn into it

No, once we're out of there, Russia will be on it's own. We're only there to penetrate Russia's trade riches and rebuilding their country after Z surrenders.

If he doesn't surrender we'll take our MIC and head home, Europe will be on-the-spot to shit, or, get off the pot. If they shit= European War. If they get off the pot we go back in and exploit Russia on trade and they in turn exploit us on trade.

[velik_m]

European stocks steady after US markets plunge

...

On Tuesday, Asian stocks fell sharply at first before recovering. Japan's Nikkei 225 closed down 0.6% and South Korea's Kospi ended 1.3% lower.

The dollar slid further against the pound and the euro on Tuesday, having fallen sharply since the beginning of the month.

However, there was little sign of the turbulence spilling into Europe. While the FTSE 100 index, which tracks the biggest companies listed in the UK, dipped 0.1%, Germany's Dax index rose 0.4% and the French Cac 40 climbed 0.2%.

...



https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gdwgjkk1no

[SnakeBoy]

Bye bye savings

1899066282558853213

[SnakeBoy]

The European Commission estimates the total level of unused savings of EU citizens at 10 trillion Euros, and it intends to find ways to mobilise this money to finance its plans to militarise Europe and support the European military-industrial complex, according to a statement by European Commissioner for Financial Services and the Savings and Investment Union Maria Luís Albuquerque, distributed by the EC press service, TASS reports
https://www.sb.by/en/european-commission-to-use-10-trillion-euros-of-citizens-savings-for-eu-defence.html

[ChumpDumper]

TASS reports?

[SnakeBoy]

Fair and Balanced

[Thread]

TASS reports?

CNN, TASS, MSNBC...6 of 1, half-dozen of the other.

[Thread]

The European Commission estimates the total level of unused savings of EU citizens at 10 trillion Euros, and it intends to find ways to mobilise this money to finance its plans to militarise Europe and support the European military-industrial complex, according to a statement by European Commissioner for Financial Services and the Savings and Investment Union Maria Luís Albuquerque, distributed by the EC press service, TASS reports
https://www.sb.by/en/european-commission-to-use-10-trillion-euros-of-citizens-savings-for-eu-defence.html

- "Promises, promises."

- Ernie "The Cat" Ladd

[velik_m]

Trump threatens 200% tariff on European alcohol as trade war escalates

President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to impose a massive tariff on European alcohol in response to the European Union’s retaliation against his steel and aluminum tariffs – a tit-for-tat escalation of a trade war that could easily get out of hand.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said his administration would impose a 200% tariff on alcoholic beverages from the EU unless it rescinds the 50% tariff the European government imposed Wednesday on US spirits.

“If this Tariff is not removed immediately, the U.S. will shortly place a 200% Tariff on all WINES, CHAMPAGNES, & ALCOHOLIC PRODUCTS COMING OUT OF FRANCE AND OTHER E.U. REPRESENTED COUNTRIES,” Trump said. “This will be great for the Wine and Champagne businesses in the U.S.”

...



https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/13/business/alcohol-tariffs-eu-trump-trade-war/index.html

[Thread]

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/13/business/alcohol-tariffs-eu-trump-trade-war/index.html

Good. We don't need that shit anyway. Nothing but poison and has brought more grief and death than tobacco ever has.

[TSA]

https://x.com/unusual_whales/status/1902724067347898408

[velik_m]

Europe delays tariffs on US goods, including whiskey

The European Union is delaying the retaliatory tariffs it announced after the United States imposed a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports earlier this month.

The countermeasures, which include higher tariffs on American whiskey, were set to take effect starting April 1 and follow a phased approach. Instead, they will take effect all at once in mid-April, pending negotiations, the Commission announced on Thursday.

In addition to whiskey, the first phase called for 50% tariffs on motorboats and motorcycles from the US. The second phase, which was set to take effect on April 13, included tariffs on beer, poultry, beef, and produce such as soybeans, tomatoes and raspberries.

Now both phases, which cover an estimated €26 billion ($28 billion) worth of American goods exports, will take effect on April 13.

The phase one delay was put in motion to allow “additional time for discussions with the US administration,” European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill said in a statement to CNN. “The change represents a slight adjustment to the timeline and does not diminish the impact of our response.”

...



https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/20/economy/europe-tariff-delay/index.html

[Thread]

And Canada has declared a "crisis" because of the Tariff war with Trump.

[velik_m]

Macron calls on EU companies to freeze investments in US

...

On Wednesday the Trump administration slapped the EU with 20 percent tariffs on all exports to the U.S. in what Macron called "a brutal and unfounded decision."

The French president said Trump's tariffs confirmed that France had been right to push for a tougher trade policy and stronger trade defense instruments.

"We need to continue to accelerate at the European level with an agenda of trade protection," Macron said, citing EU duties on Chinese vehicles as an example of how the EU can up the pressure on its economic rivals.

"We are not naïve, we are going to protect ourselves," Macron said, referring to the trade war with the U.S.

On top of retaliatory tariffs, Macron said, Brussels should consider using the EU’s so-called anti-coercion instrument against the U.S. — a new tool in the bloc’s trade arsenal that was conceived to hit countries like China — and also take measures hitting American Big Tech.

"Nothing is ruled out, all tools are on the table," Macron said.



https://www.politico.eu/article/macron-eu-companies-should-freeze-investment-in-the-u-s-until-trump-calms-down/

[SnakeBoy]

"We are not naïve, we are going to protect ourselves," Macron said

Promises, promises

[velik_m]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFhddnLU9bY

[koriwhat]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFhddnLU9bY

That "dude" macron married his pedophile groomer and possibly worse. Fuck Macron! Fuck France!

[ChumpDumper]

That "dude" macron married his pedophile groomer and possibly worse. Fuck Macron! Fuck France!
Fake news.

[Winehole23]

Threatening Denmark and trash-talking erstwhile allies is finally paying off


https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_fullsize/plain/did:plc:xfwlkvvvlaowd7kj4um7o4vf/bafkreice4lizg6tcp5ma7ufv6f2ktkz4gitl33d4p7sosxgzo 2n3vqdddm@jpeg

[velik_m]

EU seeks unity in first strike back at Trump tariffs


BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union countries will seek to present a united front in the coming days against U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs, likely approving a first set of targeted countermeasures on up to $28 billion of U.S. imports from dental floss to diamonds.

Such a move would mean the EU joining China and Canada in imposing retaliatory tariffs on the United States in an early escalation of what some fear will become a global trade war, making goods more expensive for billions of consumers and pushing economies around the world into recession.

The 27-nation bloc faces 25% import tariffs on steel and aluminium and cars and "reciprocal" tariffs of 20% from Wednesday for almost all other goods.

Trump's tariffs cover some 70% of the EU's exports to the United States - worth in total 532 billion euros ($585 billion) last year - with likely duties on copper, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and timber still to come.

...


https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/eu-seeks-unity-first-strike-081138174.html

[velik_m]

EU slaps tariffs on US trucks, cigarettes and ice cream to target Trump’s red states

...
The U.S. is the world’s second-largest soybean producer and exporter, and the EU tariffs would hit a sector already battered by China’s retaliatory measures, rising global competition and falling prices. That's not all: 82.5 percent of American soybean exports to the EU come from Louisiana, the home state of House Speaker Mike Johnson.

Unsurprisingly, U.S. soybean producers slammed Trump’s commercial belligerence last month, arguing that “tariffs are not something to be taken lightly” and urging the administration to “reconsider tariffs [against Canada, Mexico and China] and potential upcoming tariffs.” So far, however, the U.S. president has signaled that he was “not looking at” pausing the new tariffs.

The EU is also targeting beef from Kansas and Nebraska, poultry from Louisiana, car parts from Michigan, cigarettes from Florida, and wood products from North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama.

While the Commission ended up dropping whiskey from the final draft after successful lobbying from France, Italy and Ireland, it did include other more niche items designed to cause the greatest pain to exporters in Republican states.

These include (but are not limited to) ice cream from Arizona, handkerchiefs from South Carolina, electric blankets from Alabama, ties and bow ties from Florida (unless they’re made of silk, which Democratic California will be more than happy to provide), and washing machines from Wisconsin.

Pasta from Florida and South Carolina will also face some tariff heat, though Italy will likely be delighted to fill the market gap.

...



https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-tariffs-trade-war-donald-trump-republican-states/

[Winehole23]

I WILL MAKE THEM EAT FROM MY HAND

[Thread]

Turns out both Pelosi & Schumer wanted to do what Trump is now doing years ago.

Just shows ta go ya.

[velik_m]

EU, China will look into setting minimum prices on electric vehicles, EU says

BERLIN (Reuters) - The European Union and China have agreed to look into setting minimum prices of Chinese-made electric vehicles instead of tariffs imposed by the EU last year, a European Commission spokesperson said on Thursday.

German newspaper Handelsblatt reported earlier on Thursday that negotiations had begun.

EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic spoke with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao in the last 24 hours and both sides agreed to look into setting minimum prices, the EU spokesperson said.

China's Commerce Ministry said in a statement that negotiations were set to start immediately.

Sefcovic has previously said any minimum prices would need to be as effective and enforceable as the EU tariffs.

Previous minimum price deals agreed by the EU have been for homogenous commodities, rather than complex products such as cars. The Commission has said it believes a single minimum price would not be adequate to counter injury caused by subsidies.
...



https://finance.yahoo.com/news/eu-china-start-talks-lifting-173917473.html

[velik_m]

EU Expects Most US Tariffs to Stay as Talks Make Little Progress

The European Union and US made scant progress bridging trade differences this week as officials from President Donald Trump’s administration indicated that the bulk of the US tariffs imposed on the bloc will not be removed.

The EU’s trade chief, Maros Sefcovic, left the meeting with little clarity on the US stance, struggling to determine the American side’s aims, according to people familiar with the discussions. He met for about two hours with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington Monday.

The US officials indicated that the 20% “reciprocal” tariffs — which have been reduced to 10% for 90 days — as well as other tariffs targeting sectors including cars and metals would not be removed outright, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
...



https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-15/eu-expects-most-us-tariffs-to-stay-as-talks-make-little-progress

[velik_m]

EU gives staff 'burner phones, laptops' for US visits

The European Commission is giving staffers visiting the US on official business burner laptops and phones to avoid espionage attempts, according to the Financial Times.

The use of clean and locked-down hardware is common practice for anyone visiting China, Russia, and other states where aggressive electronic surveillance is expected. Apparently the European Union has added the United States to that list.

"The transatlantic alliance is over," an EU official told the newspaper, which reported the commission "is issuing burner phones and basic laptops to some US-bound staff to avoid the risk of espionage — a measure traditionally reserved for trips to China."

Next week, officials from the EU are due in Washington DC for the spring meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund. Four sources told the FT the EC had changed its guidance to ensure that visitors to America take serious precautions against cyber-espionage.

"They are worried about the US getting into the commission systems," said one.
...



https://www.theregister.com/2025/04/15/ec_burner_devices/

[ChumpDumper]

THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO MANUFACTURE ALL BURNER PHONES IN THE US!

TINY SCREWS FTW

[velik_m]

EU dismisses US demands on food standards and ties to China

The European Union will not agree to sweeping changes to its food safety rules to suit American farmers and nor will the bloc agree to cut ties with China as the United States wants it to do, according to senior sources in Dublin and Brussels.

This suggests that agreement between the EU and US on trade, following the imposition of tariffs by Donald Trump, will be hard to reach.

The European Commission, which is the EU’s executive arm that sets trade policy, publicly repeated that the union’s high food safety standards are not on the table in any negotiations with the US.

“EU standards, particularly as they relate to food health and safety, are sacrosanct. That’s not part of the negotiation, it never will be, not with the US or anyone else,” a commission spokesman said on Tuesday.

...



https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2025/04/16/eu-dismisses-us-demands-on-food-standards-and-ties-to-china/

[ChumpDumper]

"Take our hormone riddled monopoly meat" is somehow unappetizing to Europeans.

[Thread]

"Take our hormone riddled monopoly meat" is somehow unappetizing to Europeans.

Yet they've had boundless appetite to consume our MIC, huh, Sport?

[velik_m]

EU says it will enforce digital rules irrespective of CEO and location

BRUSSELS (Reuters) -The European Union is determined to enforce its full digital rule book no matter who is in charge of companies such as X, Meta, Apple and Tiktok or where they are based, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told Politico.

"That's why we've opened cases against TikTok, X, Apple, Meta just to name a few. We apply the rules fairly, proportionally, and without bias. We don't care where a company's from and who's running it. We care about protecting people," Politico quoted von der Leyen as saying on Sunday.

The EU's Digital Markets Act has been strongly criticised by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

...



https://finance.yahoo.com/news/eu-says-enforce-digital-rules-121614185.html

[velik_m]

EU hits Apple and Meta with nearly $800 million in fines amid U.S. trade tensions

The European Union on Wednesday fined Apple and Meta hundreds of millions of euros each for breaching the bloc’s digital competition laws.

The European Commission, which is the executive body of the EU, said it was fining Apple 500 million euros ($571 million) and Meta 200 million euros ($228.4 million) for breaches of the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

Officials said that Apple failed to comply with so-called “anti-steering” obligations under the DMA. Under the EU’s tech law, Apple is required to allow developers to freely inform customers of alternative offers outside its App Store.

The tech giant was ordered by the EU to remove technical and commercial restrictions on steering and to refrain from perpetuating its non-compliant conduct in the future.
...



https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/23/eu-fines-meta-and-apple-for-breaching-digital-antitrust-rules.html

[velik_m]

UK and EU to defy Trump with ‘free and open trade’ declaration

BRUSSELS — Britain and the European Union are set to sign a formal declaration committing to “free and open trade” in defiance of Donald Trump’s tariff agenda.

A leaked draft seen by POLITICO promises a “new strategic partnership” between London and Brussels based on “maintaining global economic stability and our mutual commitment to free and open trade.”

It comes as Keir Starmer’s U.K. government is locked in negotiations with the Trump administration to try to get a carve-out from the U.S. president’s new tariffs.

The draft U.K.-EU agreement, dated April 25, is one of several being drawn up ahead of a May 19 summit, which is seen as a key moment in resetting post-Brexit relations.

Officials are also negotiating U.K.-EU agreements on defense and security, fishing and energy, as well as a “common understanding” of which topics will be covered by intensive Brexit reset negotiations this year.

EU ambassadors are set to meet on Wednesday in Brussels to review progress on talks.
...



https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-eu-defy-trump-free-open-trade-declaration/

[velik_m]

Microsoft gets twitchy over talk of Europe's tech independence

Microsoft is responding to mounting "geopolitical and trade volatility" between the US administration and governments in Europe by pledging privacy safeguards for customers worried about using American hyperscalers, and vowing to fight the US government in court to protect Euro customers' data if needed.

Under Trump 2.0, some Europeans fear that storing their data in the bit barns of Microsoft, Google and AWS is no longer safe, a concern voiced to The Register in late February by Bert Hubert, a part time technical advisor to the Dutch Electoral Council.

Dutch Parliamentarians have since passed eight motions that urge the government to abandon US-made technology for local alternatives. European techies and lobbyists are pressing the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty Henna Virkkunen, to create a sovereign infrastructure.

Microsoft President Brad Smith acknowledges this, and the importance of the region for his employer in a blog post today, saying "our economic reliance on Europe has always run deep.

"We recognize that our business is critically dependent on sustaining the trust of customers, countries, and governments across Europe. We respect European values, comply with European laws, and actively defend Europe's cybersecurity. Our support for Europe has always been – and always will be – steadfast.
...



https://www.theregister.com/2025/04/30/microsoft_getting_nervous_about_europes/

[velik_m]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLZP7BWkrlU

[Thread]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLZP7BWkrlU

- "Careful."

- "John Coffey" - "The Green Mile"

[velik_m]

EU Eyes €100 Billion of US Goods With Tariffs If Talks Fail

The European Union plans to hit about €100 billion ($113 billion) in US goods with additional tariffs in the event ongoing trade talks fail to yield a satisfactory result for the bloc, according to people familiar with the matter.

The proposed retaliatory measures will be shared with member states as early as Wednesday and consultations will last for a month before the list is finalized, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the plans are private. The list could change in that time.

Separately, the European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm that handles trade matters, is expected to share a paper with the US this week to try to kick-start the negotiations, Bloomberg reported earlier. Proposals from the EU are expected to include lowering trade and non-tariff barriers and boosting investments in the US.

Negotiations between the EU and US, which began in earnest last month, have made scant progress and the expectation is that the bulk of the American tariffs will remain in place. The EU said on Tuesday that Trump’s ongoing trade investigations will boost the amount of the bloc’s goods facing tariffs to €549 billion.
...



https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-06/eu-targets-100-billion-of-us-goods-with-tariffs-if-talks-fail

[velik_m]

As the US Cuts Scientific Talent, Europe Launches an Initiative to Attract It

The European Commission has launched a new initiative to attract researchers and scientists to the European Union—especially those from the United States. The Choose Europe for Science program, backed with more than half a billion dollars, is designed to offer an alternative to researchers who have been forced to seek new opportunities following cuts in scientific funding imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration.
The program will invest €500 million ($568 million) between 2025 and 2027 to recruit specialists in various fields of knowledge to come and work in Europe. The initiative also includes a target for member states to allocate 3 percent of their GDP to R&D projects by 2030.

...
In March, the US government canceled more than 200 federal grants for research on HIV. It also reduced NIH funding for Covid-related studies, and imposed a $400F million cut in funding to Columbia University, in retaliation for pro-Palestinian protests on its campus amid the conflict with Israel. In April, an NIH facility tasked with studying Ebola and other infectious diseases was ordered to stop research.

These decisions, together with concerns about future funding cuts, have led to an exodus of researchers from the United States, with scientists now seeking to continue their careers outside of the country. An analysis published in Nature found that 75 percent of American scientists surveyed were considering leaving the country. Meanwhile, data from Nature Careers, a global scientific employment platform, reveals that between January and March of this year, American professionals sent 32 percent more applications to foreign institutions compared to the same period in 2024. Furthermore, the number of American users exploring opportunities outside the country increased by 35 percent.

At the same time, international interest in working in the United States has declined significantly. During the first quarter of the year, applications from scientists from Canada, China, and Europe to US research centers fell by 13 percent, 39 percent, and 41 percent, respectively.

Against this backdrop, European institutions have intensified their efforts to attract US talent. Aix-Marseille University, in France, recently launched A Safe Place for Science, a program aimed at hosting US researchers dismissed, censored, or limited by Trump’s policies. This project is backed with an investment of approximately €15 million.

Along the same lines, the Max Planck Society in Germany has announced the creation of the Max Planck Transatlantic Program, whose purpose is to establish joint research centers with US institutions. “Outstanding investigators who have to leave the US, we will consider for director positions,” the society’s director Patrick Cramer said in speech discussing the program.

...

https://www.wired.com/story/us-cuts-scientific-talent-europe/

[velik_m]

Europe and the UK ‘reset’ relations, almost a decade after Brexit nearly broke them

...

The trade partners have decided to move toward “a common sanitary and phytosanitary area,” von der Leyen told reporters on Monday. “That means more certainty, more stability for farmers and food producers, and fishermen and fisherwoman, on both sides of the Channel.”

In any case, changes to the trading rules between the two sides are significant: The EU is the UK’s largest trading partner, with the bloc accounting for 41% of Britain’s exports and more than half of its imports last year, according to official figures covering both goods and services. The UK is also a top trading partner for Brussels, and was the second-largest destination for EU goods exports in 2024, Eurostat data shows.

The deal also included commitments to give the EU fishing boats access to British waters for a further 12 years beyond the current agreement, which is set to expire next year. Europe will also open up its electricity market to the UK, a move that von der Leyen praised as a step toward boosting energy security and lowering prices.

The agreement comes as US President Donald Trump’s barrage of tariffs have wreaked havoc on the global trading order. In a joint statement released Monday, the EU and UK said they shared a “commitment to free, sustainable, fair and open trade.”

....



https://edition.cnn.com/2025/05/19/europe/britain-eu-summit-deal-gbr-intl

[velik_m]

Greenland Signs Lucrative Minerals Deal with Europe in Blow to Trump

Greenland has allowed a Danish-French consortium to mine a rock which is key to the production of aluminum.

The permit granted to Greenland Anorthosite Mining (GAM) to extract anorthosite follows interest in the Arctic territory from U.S. President Donald Trump in acquiring the autonomous island which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

GAM, which is backed by French company Jean Boulle Group and real estate investment firms bodies from Denmark and Greenland, was granted a 30-year permit, Reuters reported.

Jesper Willaing Zeuthen, associate professor at Aalborg University, in Denmark, told Newsweek Trump's interest in Greenland's resources is likely to be more in securing long-term investment objects which is difficult under current Greenlandic legislation.

...


https://www.newsweek.com/greenland-trump-permit-extraction-2075673

[ChumpDumper]

:lmao Trump gonna have to invade fucking Greenland now.

[velik_m]

Canada commits to joining European defence plan in throne speech

...
“The Government will protect Canada’s sovereignty by rebuilding, rearming, and reinvesting in the Canadian Armed Forces,” the King said.

“It will boost Canada’s defence industry by joining ReArm Europe, to invest in transatlantic security with Canada’s European partners. And it will invest to strengthen its presence in the North, which is an integral part of Canada, as this region faces new threats.”

The ReArm Europe plan, announced by the EU in March, would earmark up to the equivalent of C$1.25 trillion for defence over five years. It includes a loan program worth about $235 billion to be called Security Action For Europe (SAFE), which would allow countries to work with others outside the European Union to jointly buy or build arms.

EU members approved the loan program earlier Tuesday.
...

The platform promised nearly $40 billion in new military spending over the next four years and to reach NATO’s target of spending two per cent of GDP by 2030. Those spending commitments were not included in the throne speech.

Carney said last week that while Canada will look to partner with the U.S. on defence “where it can make sense” — including Trump’s “Golden Dome” concept for a space-based missile defence system — his government is also looking at “other options” among allies.

“You will see a very different set of partnerships, security and economic, going forward,” he said, and specifically mentioned the ReArm Europe negotiations.

...



https://globalnews.ca/news/11198874/canada-throne-speech-rearm-europe/

[DMX7]

It's hard to a see a trade deal getting done with the EU shortly unless Trump folds bigly. EU plays hardball but is also somewhat dysfunctional and has trouble concluding trade agreements with almost everyone.

[FrostKing]

https://i.ibb.co/sv97kG3B/Screenshot-20250531-012856-Chrome.jpg

Deport the trash. If things worsen and they try and push us to fight in the East I'll go radical. I'm listening.

[ChumpDumper]

You won't do shit.

[velik_m]

EU ‘prepared to impose countermeasures’ after Trump doubles steel tariffs to 50%


The European Union on Saturday criticized President Donald Trump’s move to double tariffs on steel imports, warning that it “undermines” efforts to reach a “negotiated solution” in the ongoing trade war.

“We strongly regret the announced increase of U.S. tariffs on steel imports from 25% to 50%,” an EU spokesperson said in a statement to NBC News.

“This decision adds further uncertainty to the global economy and increases costs for consumers and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic,” the spokesperson continued.

The spokesperson added that the EU is “prepared to impose countermeasures, including in response to the latest U.S. tariff increase.”

The United Steelworkers union (USW) also criticized Trump’s announcement and said it is a “direct attack on Canadian industries and workers.”
...



https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/31/eu-responds-trump-raising-steel-tariffs-to-50percent.html

[velik_m]

Europe stocks stage world-beating rally as trade war backfires

Europe’s equities have emerged clear winners worldwide as the region’s economic outlook brightens at a time when President Donald Trump’s trade war hobbles US financial markets.

Five months into the year, eight of the world’s 10 best-performing stock markets are in Europe, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. That list features Germany’s DAX Index with a rally of more than 30% in dollar terms, as well as peripheral markets such as Slovenia, Poland, Greece and Hungary.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 Index is beating the S&P 500 by a record 18 percentage points in dollars, powered by Germany’s historic fiscal spending plans and a stronger euro. Market participants say there’s more to come as resilient corporate earnings and attractive valuations make the region a safer bet when concern over trade and fiscal debt grips the US economy.

...



https://finance.yahoo.com/news/europe-stocks-stage-world-beating-070000153.html

[velik_m]

China Weighs Ordering Hundreds of Airbus Jets in Major Deal

China is considering placing an order for hundreds of Airbus SE aircraft as soon as next month, when European leaders visit Beijing to celebrate the countries’ long-term ties, according to people familiar with the matter.

Deliberations are underway with Chinese airlines about the size of a potential order, said the people, who asked not to be named discussing confidential matters. A deal could involve about 300 planes and include both narrowbody and widebody models, they said, with one person saying the order could range between 200 and as many as 500 aircraft.

Negotiations are fluid and could fall apart or take longer to reach a conclusion, the people said.

Airbus declined to comment. Representatives for the Civil Aviation Administration of China didn’t respond to a faxed request for comment.

The European planemaker rose as much as 2.3% in early Paris trading. Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc, which makes engines for Airbus’s widebody aircraft, rose as much as 0.7% in London.

...


https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-06-04/china-considers-ordering-hundreds-of-airbus-jets-in-major-deal

[velik_m]

Trump blasts EU over ‘unfair’ trade offer

U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the European Union for not proposing a favorable trade deal to Washington — within hours of his first formal meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

“We’re talking, but I don’t feel that they’re offering a fair deal yet,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, after leaving the G7 Summit in Canada early on Monday.

“They’re either going to make a good deal, or they’ll just pay whatever we say they have to pay,” he said. He reiterated his long-standing belief that the bloc was created to “hurt the United States on trade.”

The transatlantic partners are in talks to reach a deal to safeguard the €1.7 trillion transatlantic trade relationship. If they miss a July 8 deadline, Trump’s universal 10 percent tariff could jump to 50 percent — a level that would cripple EU exports. In addition, EU steel, aluminum and car exports are subject to 50 percent tariffs.

...


https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-slams-eu-over-unfair-trade-offer/

[velik_m]

EXCLUSIVE: Commission eyes ditching Microsoft Azure for France’s OVHcloud over digital sovereignty fears

The European Commission is in advanced business negotiations with OVHcloud, the France-based major European cloud service provider, to transition its cloud services away from Microsoft, according to three senior sources with internal knowledge of the matter who spoke to Euractiv on condition of anonymity.

The infrastructure shift is being driven by a push for European digital sovereignty in the cloud market, following concerns raised by a US executive order that led to the shutdown of Microsoft services for an employee of a European-based institution.

The goal of the move would be to ensure that European institutions have greater control over their digital infrastructure and data – an idea that has been championed by the EuroStack initiative. It is also a blow for US tech behemoth Microsoft, which has been striving to reassure its European customers in the past weeks.

Once the European Commission "gets its house into order," it is expected to set a precedent for national public administrations to direct public procurement funds towards homegrown cloud providers, one source said. The Commission sees itself as a trend setter, they added, aligning with its broader strategy to enhance the EU's digital autonomy and reduce reliance on non-European tech giants.

We understand the Commission has been in discussions with OVHcloud for several weeks. However, an unknown number of other European cloud providers, including Germany's IONOS, France's Scaleway and Italy's Aruba, are also being considered as potential alternatives.

...



https://www.euractiv.com/section/tech/news/scoop-commission-eyes-ditching-microsoft-azure-for-frances-ovhcloud-over-digital-sovereignty-fears/

[velik_m]

Trump threatens tough trade deal for Spain after it refuses to meet NATO defense spending target

...
Speaking at a news conference at NATO’s annual summit in the Netherlands, Trump said it was “terrible” that Spain wouldn’t commit to meeting the target by 2035.

“You know they are doing very well. The economy is [doing] very well. And that economy could be blown right out of the water with something bad happening,” Trump said.

“You know what we’re going to do? We’re negotiating with Spain on a trade deal and we’re going to make them pay twice as much — and I’m actually serious about that. I like Spain … it’s a great place and they are great people, but Spain is the only country out of all of the countries that refuses to pay,” he continued.

“So, they want a little bit of a free ride, but they will have to pay it back to us on trade because I am not going to let that happen. It’s unfair,” Trump said.
...



https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/25/trump-vows-to-make-spain-pay-for-avoiding-new-nato-spending-target.html

What a fucking idiot of a president. Completely clueless. The only people dumber than him are people who voted for him.

[velik_m]

Let's create a new World Trade Organization - Von der Leyen

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen has proposed to EU leaders the launch of a Europe-led initiative to establish a structured trade cooperation with Asian countries, potentially laying the groundwork for an alternative to the gridlocked World Trade Organisation (WTO).

At Thursday’s EU summit in Brussels, European leaders discussed the possibility of overhauling the WTO’s institutional framework, including its stalled dispute resolution mechanisms, to better reflect the current global trade landscape.

“The WTO hasn’t worked for years,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in a press conference following the summit, referencing persistent dysfunction under both the Trump and Biden administrations.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented leaders with different options of trade deals, labelling as the most attractive a closer cooperation between the EU and members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a regional trade pact of 11 Pacific Rim countries and the UK.

She introduced the initiative as a potential first step toward reshaping the global trade order.

“I said that we can think about this as the beginning of redesigning the WTO—of course, understanding what should be reformed positively within it,” von der Leyen told reporters after the summit.

She stressed the importance of learning from the WTO’s shortcomings and showing the world that “free trade based on rules” remains achievable with a wide group of willing partners.

“This is a project we should truly engage in. CPTPP and the European Union—that’s my team,” she said, adding that the EU must take the lead in managing this initiative.

Asked whether the United States should be involved, von der Leyen replied: “As far as I understand, the Americans left the CPTPP at a certain point.”

...


https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/06/27/von-der-leyen-touts-eu-led-alternative-to-mired-wto

[Winehole23]

trust arrives by foot but departs on horseback

[velik_m]

Trump’s tariffs deadline is looming for Europe. Here’s where things stand

All eyes are on talks between the U.S. and the European Union, which have yet to strike a trade deal with just days to go before Washington’s tariffs come into full effect.

Should the trading partners fail to reach an agreement by July 9 — when a 90-day reprieve on U.S. President Donald Trump’s so-called reciprocal tariffs ends — EU goods imported to the U.S. could be hit by duties of up to 50%. Retaliatory measures from the EU targeting a wide range of U.S. goods, which have also been temporarily put on hold, could then follow shortly afterward.

The U.S.-EU trade relationship is one of the most important in the world, accounting for around 30% of global goods trading according to the European Council. Medicinal and pharma products, road vehicles and petroleum products are some of the top traded goods.

In 2024, trade between the two transatlantic partners was valued at around 1.68 trillion euros ($1.98 trillion) when taking into account both goods and services, the European Council said.

The EU recorded a surplus of 198 billion euros, when it comes to goods, but logged a deficit of around 148 billion euro in the trading of services — meaning the bloc overall had a trade surplus of around 50 billion euros in 2024.

...



https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/04/trumps-tariffs-deadline-is-looming-for-europe-heres-where-things-stand.html

[velik_m]

EU warns that its trade with the US could be effectively wiped out if Trump follows through on his threat

...

Šefčovič said it will “be almost impossible” for the bloc to continue its current level of trade with America if that new tariff rate is implemented on August 1 – the date stipulated by US President Donald Trump in his letter to the EU on Saturday.

“If (the tariff) stays 30 (percent) plus, simply trading as we know it will not continue, with huge negative effects on both sides of the Atlantic,” he added. “I will definitely do everything I can to prevent this super-negative scenario.”

In a press conference following the meeting, Šefčovič said reiterated that the EU’s preferred outcome is a negotiated deal with Washington and that he plans to speak to his US counterparts late Monday.

The EU-US trade relationship is mighty. According to the European Council, EU-US bilateral trade in goods and services was worth €1.68 trillion ($1.96 trillion) last year. Together, the partners represent nearly 30% of global goods and services trade, per the Council.
...



https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/14/business/europe-us-trade-tariff-wipe-out-intl