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EU summit: Leaders to address wars, US tariffs, migration – DW – 06/26/2025

EU summit: Leaders to address wars, US tariffs, migration – DW – 06/26/2025

DW26-06-2025
Leaders of the European Union are gathering in Brussels for the EU summit on Thursday. They are set to discuss conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as the Trump administration tariffs. DW has the latest.German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized the need to strike a trade deal with the Trump administation as he arrived for his first EU summit in Brussels since taking office in May.
"Europe is facing crucial weeks and months," Merz said.
"I support the European Commission in all its endeavours to reach a trade agreement with the US quickly."
US President Donald Trump initially imposed high tariffs on many countries, including EU member states, before temporatily suspending the measures. But the suspensions ends on July 9.
Meanwhile, Merz also underlined the imporance of the EU-Mercosur trade deal with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
The EU summit will kick off at 11 am CET. Working sessions of the European Council are scheduled throughout the day.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to hold talks with the European leaders through video conference later in the afternoon.
The war in Ukraine is set to remain a pressing concern for the EU, as members discuss an 18th round of sanctions against Russia. Talks will also be held on whether a price cap on Russian oil needs to be maintained — steps that some nations have opposed as it could cause energy prices to rise.
Meanwhile, leaders are expected to inform the European Commission if they want a quick trade deal with Washington, which would mean the US getting better terms, or to escalate the dispute in hopes of something better.
US President Donald Trump has given a deadline of July 9 for a deal.
Officials and diplomats have hinted at a quick deal being the preferable option for most.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
European leaders will also address the wars in the Middle East amid concerns about the fallout from the escalation that risks the stability of the region.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza will be a key focus.
The EU is also making the push to bring back negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program.
European defense and security, migration and internal security will also be on the docket for discussion.
"We will address several issues that must be tackled together to advance our common ambitions: to build a more competitive, safer and more autonomous Europe for our citizens, and to ensure that the European Union can be an effective, predictable and reliable global actor," Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, said in a statement.
Leaders of the European Union's 27 member states are meeting in Brussels on Thursday for a one-day summit.
Discussions on imposing stricter sanctions on Russia and ways to resolve the US tariffs conflict rank high on the agenda.
Most heads of state and government will go into the European talks straight from a NATO summit, where they pledged a landmark defense spending boost, brushing aside some of their differences with US President Donald Trump.
Stay tuned as we get you the latest news and analyses from the EU summit.
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WTO: EU, Germany push for new world trade body  – DW – 07/04/2025
WTO: EU, Germany push for new world trade body  – DW – 07/04/2025

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WTO: EU, Germany push for new world trade body – DW – 07/04/2025

Brussels and Berlin have launched a new initiative aimed at bypassing the long-standing paralysis of the World Trade Organization (WTO). But how viable is such a solution? A proposal, introduced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, has sparked considerable attention. Speaking at the end of a summit of EU leaders in Brussels on June 27, they floated the idea of the EU taking the lead in forming an alternative to the World Trade Organization (WTO), the world trade body that has been in place since 1995. Merz said the idea was in its early stages but could include mechanisms to resolve disputes, as the WTO was meant to do. "You all know that the WTO doesn't work anymore," he said, adding that a "new kind of trade organization" could gradually replace "what we no longer have with the WTO." The German chancellor was referring to the near-total breakdown of the WTO's dispute resolution mechanism. It was former US President Barack Obama who first blocked appointments to the WTO's Appellate Body — its top court for trade disputes — during his later years in office. That blockade has continued under every US administration since, regardless of party affiliation, as successive governments have opposed WTO rulings that they argue undermine US national interests. As a result, trade disputes can no longer be conclusively resolved once a party appeals. Currently, unresolved cases include disputes between the EU and Indonesia over nickel ore exports, rulings on subsidies for aircraft manufacturers Boeing and Airbus, and anti-dumping cases against China. The EU's von der Leyen emphasized plans for a particularly close partnership with like-minded trade nations in Asia, referencing potential cooperation with the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). This trade alliance currently includes Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. The United Kingdom has also joined, becoming the first European country in the bloc. But can Europe realistically create a new WTO without US involvement? And how effective would an alliance with like-minded global partners be, especially in the Asia-Pacific? Jürgen Matthes, an international trade policy expert at the Cologne, Germany-based German Economic Institute (IW), expressed support for the initiative in an interview with DW. "A formal EU application to join the CPTPP would be a strategically important move in several respects," Matthes said. "It would send a clear signal to the US that its protectionism is isolating it, while the rest of the world continues to liberalize trade." Matthes also said this would create a "remarkably large trans-regional trade agreement," involving major economies, "with the EU as the largest bloc." "It would cover nearly all continents. And maybe some African countries could be brought on board as well," he added. Such a club, however, would initially exclude China, which Matthes argued is not known for playing by fair competition rules. "The goal is to form a strategic trade alliance that addresses today's pressing issues in global trade — not only US protectionism, but also the massive market distortions caused by China's subsidies, which current WTO rules don't effectively address," said Matthes. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video For the EU, the priority would be to enshrine strict competition rules within the new framework, particularly regarding state-owned enterprises and industrial subsidies. "Anyone who meets those standards can join," he added. That would require China to make major reforms, such as reducing market distortions and subsidies, or finally agreeing to a comprehensive overhaul of WTO rules. Free trade advocates have already created a workaround to the WTO's stalled appeals process called the Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA). Formed within the WTO itself, MPIA provides an alternative dispute resolution system that functions without US participation. According to the European Commission, 57 countries, representing 57.6% of global trade, have joined the MPIA, including the UK and all EU member states. Still, business groups such as the Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services (BGA), which represents Germany's export sector, are wary of undermining the WTO. Speaking to news agency Reuters, BGA President Dirk Jandura acknowledged the strategic benefits of forming a new framework among functioning democracies via CPTPP, but warned of the risks. "We must not allow global trade to splinter into competing blocs with different rules," he said. "This new organization must only be a transitional solution, clearly aimed at reforming — not replacing — the WTO." Brussels has also been careful to clarify that the goal is not to render the WTO obsolete. European Commission President von der Leyen described the "structured cooperation" with CPTPP members as a potential starting point for reshaping the WTO. Even the WTO's former chief economist, Ralph Ossa, who recently returned to the University of Zurich, openly acknowledged the need for change. "Does the WTO need reform? Absolutely," he told DW. Germany's economy ministry echoed that view, with a spokesperson for Minister Katharina Reiche confirming that the German government, together with the European Commission, is actively pushing for WTO reforms. These include new rules to curb industrial subsidies to ensure fair competition, digital trade initiatives and investment facilitation. The EU is already in talks with countries that support open and rules-based trade — including CPTPP members. The EU's dual message to both the US and China appears to be part of a deliberate communication strategy that has evolved since US President Donald Trump's tariff war. Matthes envisions a new alliance under the banner of "Open Markets with Fair Trade." In such a setup, "the US is out when it comes to open markets, and China is out when it comes to fair trade — unless things change under a new US administration or a reformed China emerges." He sees multiple advantages to this strategy. "We'd achieve more trade liberalization and gain access to new markets. We'd isolate the US more and show Trump that protectionism is ultimately a dead end." At the same time, Europe could send a clear message to China that it will no longer tolerate market distortions, he added.

Why is Trump meeting five African presidents this week? – DW – 07/07/2025
Why is Trump meeting five African presidents this week? – DW – 07/07/2025

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Why is Trump meeting five African presidents this week? – DW – 07/07/2025

US president has invited the leaders of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania and Senegal to Washington this week. Experts suggest that there will be more on the agenda than just commercial opportunities. "A White House official explained last week that 'President Trump believes African countries offer incredible commercial opportunities that benefit both the American people and our African partners,'" says DW's Washington correspondent, Ines Pohl. "In a recent update, Trump highlighted the vast commercial potential of African nations, suggesting stronger economic ties could be mutually beneficial. However, his administration has cut back on US foreign aid to Africa, viewing it as wasteful and incompatible with his 'America First' agenda. Instead, the focus is shifting toward trade and investment, particularly in West Africa's critical minerals sector and regional security." Trump's approach to Africa appears to have evolved since his first term. 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However, all possess significant untapped natural resources: "Controlling migration and drug routes — that's what Donald Trump is truly interested in," says Zakaria Ould Amar, an international consultant from Mauritania. "These five countries lie directly on refugee and migrant paths that have, over the years, sent tens of thousands of people to the US-Mexico border. International drug routes also run through this region." Amar suggests that these security issues will dominate Trump's talks with the five African leaders. "Economically, these countries are currently of little significance. I can't see what Trump could realistically negotiate with them in terms of trade or business." American affairs expert Prof. William Ferreira from Guinea-Bissau is skeptical: "I doubt this meeting will bring tangible benefits to the African countries involved. There's no such thing as a free lunch." "Our president's trip to Washington to meet Trump is not good news for Guinea-Bissau or its people," he says. Ferreira notes that the Trump administration has halted or drastically cut funding for aid projects in Africa and also in Guinea-Bissau, dimming any hopes tied to the meeting in Washington. For Guinea-Bissau's President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, however, the gathering presents an opportunity to showcase himself as a respected statesman on the international stage, despite significant internal challenges. His term officially expired in February, yet he remains in office amid questions of legality. The fate of scheduled elections in December remains uncertain. "All five regimes, not just Guinea-Bissau, are grappling with major institutional problems and breaches of the rule of law," Ferreira says. "But that doesn't bother Trump. He wants to demonstrate he still has allies in Africa. For the five presidents, this event is a chance to present themselves as important and legitimate leaders internationally. And in fact, from their perspective, it greatly elevates their standing." Gabon's current president, Brice Oligui Nguema, has faced serious corruption allegations and is linked to the recent coup that ousted Ali Bongo Ondimba. Liberia faces severe social challenges. Joseph Boakai has been president since January 2024. Mauritania's President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, a general and politician, has been in office since August 2019 but the country faces serious social problems. Senegal, led by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye since 2024, confronts accusations of facilitating illegal international migration. Guinea-Bissau remains embroiled in institutional crises, with civil society groups accusing Umaro Sissoco Embalo of dismantling democratic structures and aiming to establish a dictatorship. His legitimacy is seen as derived not from the people but through international endorsements like the Washington meeting. Lesmes Monteiro, presidential advisor in Guinea-Bissau, offers a contrasting view. "Sissoco Embaló's inclusion among Trump's chosen five is a diplomatic triumph," he told DW. "He is a determined leader, respected and received by the world's most powerful statesmen: Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Emmanuel Macron, and now Donald Trump." Monteiro highlights ideological alignment as a key factor in the selection. "Trump and our president share similar values: a strong emphasis on national sovereignty and traditional values. Guinea-Bissau's geostrategic position is very important to the US, and economically, the country could become interesting to the US in the medium term." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

Can Denmark keep the EU green?  – DW – 07/07/2025
Can Denmark keep the EU green?  – DW – 07/07/2025

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Can Denmark keep the EU green? – DW – 07/07/2025

Denmark says cutting emissions will help the EU defend itself and compete with China and the US. However, keeping the EU's beleaguered green deal alive amid a climate policy backlash won't be easy. The streets of Denmark's second city Aarhus are full of clues that this is a climate-conscious country. Bottle recycling machines greet pedestrians at regular intervals; bike paths are teeming with cyclists in rain or shine — often with kids or cargo in tow; and out in the bay where the Kattegat connects the Baltic and North Seas, turbines help generate more wind power per person than almost any other country in the world. It was here that the Nordic nation chose to launch its six-month stint heading up the EU Council, the body representing the bloc's 27 national governments. And a word that's fallen out of vogue in European policy-making circles made the cut in Denmark's stated priorities: "Green." "There's a lot at stake," Climate and Energy Minister Lars Aagaard told DW as Denmark's EU presidency kicked off. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Gone are the days when climate policies dominated the European Union's agenda; when school climate strikers demonstrating in towns and cities across the bloc prompted policymakers to come up with the so-called Green Deal, dubbed Europe's "man on the moon moment" by the EU Commission back in 2018. Since then, the realities of radically shifting geopolitics have swung like a wrecking ball onto Europe's political consciousness — from Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the resulting energy and inflation crisis, to US President Donald Trump's tariffs and mounting existential fears in European industries from car-making to chemicals. Green parties lost out in most countries in last year's European elections after what many analysts dubbed a backlash against green policies. The EU's big promises to slash emissions have already been enshrined in law, allowing the bloc to keep up its claim of climate leadership on the global stage — especially with Washington pulling out of the Paris climate deal. But bit-by-bit, lower-profile elements of Europe's green legislation are coming under fire in debates on how to ease burdens on businesses to help the EU compete with the likes of China and the US. "We support a climate policy driven by innovation, investment, and responsibility — not by radical bans or ideology," leaders of the EU's biggest political grouping, the center-right European People's Party, said in a statement late last month. "We are ambitious, yet pragmatic," they wrote. While those leaders praised a series of red-tape-cutting plans laid out by the EU's executive, climate campaigners have rejected the moves. Recently, Brussels also sparked their ire by shelving draft anti-greenwashing rules. To keep climate action moving, Denmark is finding new ways to frame the argument: By casting the green transition as a key ingredient in Europe's bid to boost its military independence. "Climate change is about defense. Europe's strategic autonomy is threatened, and it's threatened partly because we are so extremely dependent on the import of fossil fuels," Energy Minister Aagaard said — referring to the bloc's past dependence on Russian oil and gas and its new plans to gradually ban their sale. "Bringing Europe into a position where we can produce more of the energy we need, where we get more energy efficient, where we create a strong economics based on decarbonized energy, for me that's also the response," he added. Denmark's center-left-led government has given security top billing in its EU presidency, following on from Poland which held the rotating role for the first half of 2025. The Danish defense ministry has also gone further than most EU states in its national bid to beef up military independence, by extending conscription to women. Still, researchers acknowledge Europe's race to rearm brings its own challenges for climate policymaking. Emissions linked to military work tend to be top secret, and researcher Jens Mortensen says the search for more critical materials like rare earth metals may "delay or slow down the green transition." "In the short term defense spending is prioritized, and there will be a concern about what it does to our emissions," Mortensen, a political scientist who lectures on global environmental governance at Copenhagen University, told DW. "But right now we probably have to. That's the feeling in the North: We have to. We feel very exposed." Not all EU governments share the Danes' assessment that going green will equip the EU to better defend itself and compete internationally. The political challenge that lies ahead became evident last week when the European Commission proposed a new legally binding stepping stone on the EU's path to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Under the latest proposals, the EU must cut greenhouse emissions 90% by 2040 compared to 1990 levels. "As European citizens increasingly feel the impact of climate change, they expect Europe to act," Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said recently. However, Italy, Czechia, and Poland have been critical of the bill, which still requires approval from EU states and lawmakers. "Our country is not yet ready to implement such ambitious plans," Poland's environment minister, Paulina Hennig-Kloska, told news channel Polsat last week. "The EU's reduction target must be realistic, and the contributions of individual countries toward achieving it must be varied," she said. Climate campaigners, meanwhile, were disappointed that the draft legislation allows states to include carbon credits gained through investments in environment projects outside Europe in their climate accounting. "Most international offsets aren't worth the paper they're written on and have done nothing to cut emissions. They're also a waste of taxpayers' money," Michael Sicauld-Clyet of the World Wildlife Fund said last week. Researcher Jens Mortensen saw the compromise as a means to an end. "We have to give in on certain issues," he said. "It's controversial, but it was necessary to convince skeptics." Convincing skeptics will be Copenhagen's daily business through the rest of 2025. Asked whether he expected to get Czechia and others on board with emissions-cutting targets, Minister Lars Aagaard said: "Time will show." "I know that there are short-term concerns in a number of European countries that climate change politics can be a challenge to economic development," he added. "But I also think that it's important for all of us to remember that meeting our climate targets is part of what should make Europe competitive in the longer run." Lecturer Jens Mortensen says Denmark can only hope to keep countries talking about climate policies, rather than turning political tides, due to the limits of its role. "It's really about trying to reframe current challenges and the mess we're in to say: 'Don't forget the green transition.' We are aware it's lost its top priority."

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