Ukraine's parliament passes bill weakening anti-corruption agencies. The public is furious
Fighting entrenched corruption is crucial for Ukraine's bid to join the European Union and maintain access to billions of dollars in Western aid. The legislation's passage has triggered public outrage in Ukraine, and a protest was planned Tuesday in Kyiv.
The changes would grant the prosecutor general new authority over investigations and cases handled by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO).
'In effect, if this bill becomes law, the head of SAPO will become a nominal figure, while NABU will lose its independence and turn into a subdivision of the prosecutor general's office,' the agencies said in a joint statement on Telegram.
The bill goes to Zelenskyy for his signature or veto.
In a post on X, the EU's Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos expressed concern over the vote in the Rada, calling it 'a serious step back.'
Kos added: 'Independent bodies like NABU & SAPO are essential for Ukraine's EU path. Rule of Law remains in the very center of EU accession negotiations.'
The Ukrainian branch of Transparency International criticized parliament's decision, saying it undermines one of the most significant reforms since what Ukraine calls its Revolution of Dignity in 2014 and damages trust with international partners.
The group urged Zelenskyy to veto the law, warning that otherwise he would share responsibility with the Rada for 'dismantling Ukraine's anti-corruption infrastructure.'
On Monday, Ukraine's domestic security agency detained two NABU officials on suspicion of links to Russia and searched other agency employees on unrelated allegations.
Zelenskyy's office didn't respond to a request for comment. Last week, the president carried out a reshuffle of his wartime cabinet, a move widely viewed as further consolidating power within his inner circle.
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Winnipeg Free Press
16 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
US-EU trade deal wards off further escalation but will raise costs for companies and consumers
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have announced a sweeping trade deal that imposes 15% tariffs on most European goods, warding off Trump's threat of a 30% rate if no deal had been reached by Aug. 1. The tariffs, or import taxes, paid when Americans buy European products could raise prices for U.S. consumers and dent profits for European companies and their partners who bring goods into the country. Here are some things to know about the trade deal between the United States and the European Union: What's in the agreement? Trump and von der Leyen's announcement, made during Trump's visit to one of his golf courses in Scotland, leaves many details to be filled in. The headline figure is a 15% tariff rate on 'the vast majority' of European goods brought into the U.S., including cars, computer chips and pharmaceuticals. It's lower than the 20% Trump initially proposed, and lower than his threats of 50% and then 30%. Von der Leyen said the two sides agreed on zero tariffs on both sides for a range of 'strategic' goods: Aircraft and aircraft parts, certain chemicals, semiconductor equipment, certain agricultural products, and some natural resources and critical raw materials. Specifics were lacking. She said the two sides 'would keep working' to add more products to the list. Additionally, the EU side would purchase what Trump said was $750 billion (638 billion euros) worth of natural gas, oil and nuclear fuel to replace Russian energy supplies, and Europeans would invest an additional $600 billion (511 billion euros) in the U.S. What's not in the deal? Trump said the 50% U.S. tariff on imported steel would remain; von der Leyen said the two sides agreed to further negotiations to fight a global steel glut, reduce tariffs and establish import quotas — that is, set amounts that can be imported, often at a lower rate. Trump said pharmaceuticals were not included in the deal. Von der Leyen said the pharmaceuticals issue was 'on a separate sheet of paper' from Sunday's deal. Where the $600 billion for additional investment would come from was not specified. And von der Leyen said that when it came to farm products, the EU side made clear that 'there were tariffs that could not be lowered,' without specifying which products. What's the impact? The 15% rate removes Trump's threat of a 30% tariff. It's still much higher than the average tariff before Trump came into office of around 1%, and higher than Trump's minimum 10% baseline tariff. Higher tariffs, or import taxes, on European goods mean sellers in the U.S. would have to either increase prices for consumers — risking loss of market share — or swallow the added cost in terms of lower profits. The higher tariffs are expected to hurt export earnings for European firms and slow the economy. The 10% baseline applied while the deal was negotiated was already sufficiently high to make the European Union's executive commission cut its growth forecast for this year from 1.3% to 0.9%. Von der Leyen said the 15% rate was 'the best we could do' and credited the deal with maintaining access to the U.S. market and providing 'stability and predictability for companies on both sides.' What is some of the reaction to the deal? German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed the deal which avoided 'an unnecessary escalation in transatlantic trade relations' and said that 'we were able to preserve our core interests,' while adding that 'I would have very much wished for further relief in transatlantic trade.' The Federation of German Industries was blunter. 'Even a 15% tariff rate will have immense negative effects on export-oriented German industry,' said Wolfgang Niedermark, a member of the federation's leadership. While the rate is lower than threatened, 'the big caveat to today's deal is that there is nothing on paper, yet,' said Carsten Brzeski, global chief of macro at ING bank. 'With this disclaimer in mind and at face value, today's agreement would clearly bring an end to the uncertainty of recent months. An escalation of the US-EU trade tensions would have been a severe risk for the global economy,' Brzeski said. 'This risk seems to have been avoided.' What about car companies? Asked if European carmakers could still sell cars at 15%, von der Leyen said the rate was much lower than the current 27.5%. That has been the rate under Trump's 25% tariff on cars from all countries, plus the preexisting U.S. car tariff of 2.5%. The impact is likely to be substantial on some companies, given that automaker Volkswagen said it suffered a 1.3 billion euro ($1.5 billion) hit to profit in the first half of the year from the higher tariffs. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. Mercedes-Benz dealers in the U.S. have said they are holding the line on 2025 model year prices 'until further notice.' The German automaker has a partial tariff shield because it makes 35% of the Mercedes-Benz vehicles sold in the U.S. in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, but the company said it expects prices to undergo 'significant increases' in coming years. What were the issues dividing the two sides? Before Trump returned to office, the U.S. and the EU maintained generally low tariff levels in what is the largest bilateral trading relationship in the world, with some 1.7 trillion euros ($2 trillion) in annual trade. Together the U.S. and the EU have 44% of the global economy. The U.S. rate averaged 1.47% for European goods, while the EU's averaged 1.35% for American products, according to the Bruegel think tank in Brussels. Trump has complained about the EU's 198 billion-euro trade surplus in goods, which shows Americans buy more from European businesses than the other way around, and has said the European market is not open enough for U.S.-made cars. However, American companies fill some of the trade gap by outselling the EU when it comes to services such as cloud computing, travel bookings, and legal and financial services. And some 30% of European imports are from American-owned companies, according to the European Central Bank.
CTV News
6 hours ago
- CTV News
U.S.-EU deal sets a 15% tariff on most goods and averts the threat of a trade war with a global shock
U.S. President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen shake hands after reaching a trade deal at the Trump Turnberry golf course in Turnberry, Scotland Sunday, July 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) EDINBURGH, Scotland — The United States and the European Union agreed on Sunday to a trade framework setting a 15% tariff on most goods, staving off -- at least for now -- far higher imports on both sides that might have sent shockwaves through economies around the globe. The sweeping announcement came after President Donald Trump and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen met briefly at Trump's Turnberry golf course in Scotland. Their private sit-down culminated months of bargaining, with the White House deadline Friday nearing for imposing punishing tariffs on the EU's 27-member countries. 'It was a very interesting negotiation. I think it's going to be great for both parties,' Trump said. The agreement, he said, was 'a good deal for everybody' and 'a giant deal with lots of countries.' Von der Leyen said the deal 'will bring stability, it will bring predictability, that's very important for our businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.' Many facets will require more work As with other, recent tariff agreements that Trump announced with countries including Japan and the United Kingdom, some major details remain pending in this one. Trump said the EU had agreed to buy some $750 billion worth of U.S. energy and invest $600 billion more than it already is in America -- as well as make a major military equipment purchase. He said tariffs 'for automobiles and everything else will be a straight across tariff of 15%' and meant that U.S. exporters 'have the opening up of all of the European countries.' Von der Leyen said the 15% tariffs were 'across the board, all inclusive' and that 'indeed, basically the European market is open.' At a later news conference away from Turnberry, she said that the $750 billion in additional U.S. energy purchases was actually over the next three years -- and would help ease the dependance on natural gas from Russia among the bloc's countries. 'When the European union and the United States work together as partners, the benefits are tangible,' Von der Leyen said, noting that the agreement 'stabilized on a single, 15% tariff rate for the vast majority of EU exports' including cars, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals. '15% is a clear ceiling,' she said. But von der Leyen also clarified that such a rate wouldn't apply to everything, saying that both sides agreed on 'zero for zero tariffs on a number of strategic products,' like all aircraft and component parts, certain chemicals, certain generic drugs, semiconductor equipment, some agricultural products, natural resources and critical raw materials. It is unclear if alcohol will be included in that list. 'And we will keep working to add more products to this list,' she said, while also stressing that the 'framework means the figures we have just explained to the public, but, of course, details have to be sorted out. And that will happen over the next weeks' Further EU approval needed In the meantime, there will be work to do on other fronts. Von der Leyen had a mandate to negotiate because the European Commission handles trade for member countries. But the Commission should now present the deal to member states and EU lawmakers -- who will ultimately decide whether or not to approve it. Before their meeting began, Trump pledged to change what he characterized as 'a very one-sided transaction, very unfair to the United States.' 'I think both sides want to see fairness,' the Republican president told reporters. Von der Leyen said the U.S. and EU combined have the world's largest trade volume, encompassing hundreds of millions of people and trillions of dollars and added that Trump was 'known as a tough negotiator and dealmaker.' 'But fair,' Trump said. Trump has spent months threatening most of the world with large tariffs in hopes of shrinking major U.S. trade deficits with many key trading partners. More recently, he had hinted that any deal with the EU would have to 'buy down' a tariff rate of 30% that had been set to take effect. But during his comments before the agreement was announced, the president was sked if he'd be willing to accept tariff rates lower than 15%, and said 'no.' First golf, then trade talk Their meeting came after Trump played golf for the second straight day at Turnberry, this time with a group that included sons Eric and Donald Jr. In addition to negotiating deals, Trump's five-day visit to Scotland is built around golf and promoting properties bearing his name. A small group of demonstrators at the course waved American flags and raised a sign criticizing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who plans his own Turnberry meeting with Trump on Monday. Other voices could be heard cheering and chanting 'Trump! Trump!' as he played nearby. On Tuesday, Trump will be in Aberdeen, in northeastern Scotland, where his family has another golf course and is opening a third next month. The president and his sons plan to help cut the ribbon on the new course. The U.S. and EU seemed close to a deal earlier this month, but Trump instead threatened the 30% tariff rate. The deadline for the Trump administration to begin imposing tariffs has shifted in recent weeks but is now firm and coming Friday, the administration insists. 'No extensions, no more grace periods. Aug. 1, the tariffs are set, they'll go into place, Customs will start collecting the money and off we go,' U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told 'Fox News Sunday' before the EU deal was announced. He added, however, that even after that 'people can still talk to President Trump. I mean, he's always willing to listen.' Without an agreement, the EU said it was prepared to retaliate with tariffs on hundreds of American products, ranging from beef and auto parts to beer and Boeing airplanes. If Trump eventually followed through on his threat of tariffs against Europe, meanwhile, it could have made everything from French cheese and Italian leather goods to German electronics and Spanish pharmaceuticals more expensive in the United States. 'I think it's great that we made a deal today, instead of playing games and maybe not making a deal at all,' Trump said. 'I think it's the biggest deal ever made.' Will Weissert, The Associated Press Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim in Cincinnati and Samuel Petrequin in London contributed to this report.
Vancouver Sun
6 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Trump and EU strike deal for 15 per cent tariffs on most goods, avoiding trade war
The United States and the European Union agreed on Sunday to a trade framework setting a 15 per cent tariff on most goods, staving off — at least for now — far higher imports on both sides that might have sent shockwaves through economies around the globe. The sweeping announcement came after President Donald Trump and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen met briefly at Trump's Turnberry golf course in Scotland. Their private sit-down culminated months of bargaining, with the White House deadline Friday nearing for imposing punishing tariffs on the EU's 27-member countries. 'It was a very interesting negotiation. I think it's going to be great for both parties,' Trump said. The agreement, he said, was 'a good deal for everybody' and 'a giant deal with lots of countries.' Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Von der Leyen said the deal 'will bring stability, it will bring predictability, that's very important for our businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.' Many facets will require more work As with other recent tariff agreements that Trump announced with countries including Japan and the United Kingdom, some major details remain pending in this one. Trump said the EU had agreed to buy some $750 billion worth of U.S. energy and invest $600 billion more than it already is in America — as well as make a major military equipment purchase. He said tariffs 'for automobiles and everything else will be a straight across tariff of 15 per cent' and meant that U.S. exporters 'have the opening up of all of the European countries.' Von der Leyen said the 15 per cent tariffs were 'across the board, all inclusive' and that 'indeed, basically the European market is open.' At a later news conference away from Turnberry, she said that the $750 billion in additional U.S. energy purchases was actually over the next three years — and would help ease the dependence on natural gas from Russia among the bloc's countries. 'When the European Union and the United States work together as partners, the benefits are tangible,' Von der Leyen said, noting that the agreement 'stabilized on a single, 15 per cent tariff rate for the vast majority of EU exports,' including cars, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals. '15 per cent is a clear ceiling,' she said. But von der Leyen also clarified that such a rate wouldn't apply to everything, saying that both sides agreed on 'zero for zero tariffs on a number of strategic products,' like all aircraft and component parts, certain chemicals, certain generic drugs, semiconductor equipment, some agricultural products, natural resources and critical raw materials. It is unclear if alcohol will be included in that list. 'And we will keep working to add more products to this list,' she said, while also stressing that the 'framework means the figures we have just explained to the public, but, of course, details have to be sorted out. And that will happen over the next weeks' Further EU approval needed In the meantime, there will be work to do on other fronts. Von der Leyen had a mandate to negotiate because the European Commission handles trade for member countries. But the Commission should now present the deal to member states and EU lawmakers — who will ultimately decide whether or not to approve it. Before their meeting began, Trump pledged to change what he characterized as 'a very one-sided transaction, very unfair to the United States.' 'I think both sides want to see fairness,' the Republican president told reporters. Von der Leyen said the U.S. and EU combined have the world's largest trade volume, encompassing hundreds of millions of people and trillions of dollars and added that Trump was 'known as a tough negotiator and dealmaker.' 'But fair,' Trump said. Trump has spent months threatening most of the world with large tariffs in hopes of shrinking major U.S. trade deficits with many key trading partners. More recently, he had hinted that any deal with the EU would have to 'buy down' a tariff rate of 30 per cent that had been set to take effect. But during his comments before the agreement was announced, the president was asked if he'd be willing to accept tariff rates lower than 15 per cent, and said 'no.' First golf, then trade talk Their meeting came after Trump played golf for the second straight day at Turnberry, this time with a group that included sons Eric and Donald Jr. In addition to negotiating deals, Trump's five-day visit to Scotland is built around golf and promoting properties bearing his name. A small group of demonstrators at the course waved American flags and raised a sign criticizing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who plans his own Turnberry meeting with Trump on Monday. Other voices could be heard cheering and chanting 'Trump! Trump!' as he played nearby. On Tuesday, Trump will be in Aberdeen, in northeastern Scotland, where his family has another golf course and is opening a third next month. The president and his sons plan to help cut the ribbon on the new course. The U.S. and EU seemed close to a deal earlier this month, but Trump instead threatened the 30 per cent tariff rate. The deadline for the Trump administration to begin imposing tariffs has shifted in recent weeks but is now firm and coming Friday, the administration insists. 'No extensions, no more grace periods. Aug. 1, the tariffs are set, they'll go into place, Customs will start collecting the money and off we go,' U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told 'Fox News Sunday' before the EU deal was announced. He added, however, that even after that 'people can still talk to President Trump. I mean, he's always willing to listen.' Without an agreement, the EU said it was prepared to retaliate with tariffs on hundreds of American products, ranging from beef and auto parts to beer and Boeing airplanes. If Trump eventually followed through on his threat of tariffs against Europe, meanwhile, it could have made everything from French cheese and Italian leather goods to German electronics and Spanish pharmaceuticals more expensive in the United States. 'I think it's great that we made a deal today, instead of playing games and maybe not making a deal at all,' Trump said. 'I think it's the biggest deal ever made.' — Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim in Cincinnati and Samuel Petrequin in London contributed to this report. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
