Latest news with #AntonioCosta
Times of Oman
9 hours ago
- Business
- Times of Oman
UAE President, President of European Council discuss UAE-EU ties, regional developments
Abu Dhabi: UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received a phone call on Friday from Antonio Costa, President of the European Council. The call explored various aspects of cooperation between the UAE and the European Union and its member states, as well as ways to broaden these ties to deliver mutual benefits and progress. The two sides discussed ongoing negotiations towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the UAE and the European Union, highlighting its importance in advancing relations and supporting joint development goals. UAE President and the President of the European Council reviewed a number of regional and international issues of mutual concern, with a particular focus on developments in the Middle East. They emphasised the urgent need for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to enable the delivery of sufficient humanitarian aid to alleviate the suffering of civilians. They also called for intensified international efforts to advance progress towards a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution. The two sides further underlined the vital importance of diplomacy and dialogue in resolving regional crises and safeguarding regional and global security and stability.
New York Post
21 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
EU leaders call for immediate cease-fire in Gaza
The European Council, composed of the heads of state or of government of the 27 E.U. member states, the president of the European Council and the president of the European Commission, called for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza on Thursday. The council, meeting in Brussels, called for a 'cease-fire in Gaza and the unconditional release of all hostages, leading to a permanent end to hostilities,' it said in its conclusions issued at an E.U. summit meeting in Brussels where developments in the Middle East were discussed. The council said it 'deplores the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, the unacceptable number of civilian casualties and the levels of starvation. The European Council calls on Israel to fully lift its blockade on Gaza, to allow immediate, unimpeded access and sustained distribution of humanitarian assistance at scale into and throughout Gaza and to enable the U.N. and its agencies, and humanitarian organizations, to work independently and impartially to save lives and reduce suffering,' the conclusions read. 6 The European Council met in Brussels and called for a 'cease-fire in Gaza and the unconditional release of all hostages.' dts News Agency Germany/Shutterstock 6 European Council President Antonio Costa (L), Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk (C) and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the end of a press conference after working sessions at the European Council. AFP via Getty Images The text continued: 'Israel must fully comply with its obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law. The European Council recalls the imperative of ensuring the protection of all civilians, including humanitarian workers, at all times, as well as of civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities, schools and U.N. premises.' The European Council also deplored 'the refusal of Hamas to hand over the remaining hostages.' The E.U. leaders took note of the review report prepared by the E.U.'s External Service on Israel's compliance with Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and invited the E.U.'s foreign ministers to continue discussions on a follow-up, as appropriate, in July, taking into account the evolution of the situation on the ground. 6 According to conclusions issued at an E.U. summit, the council said it 'deplores the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, the unacceptable number of civilian casualties and the levels of starvation.' AFP via Getty Images 6 Palestinians searching through the rubble of heavily damaged and collapsed buildings after Israeli attacks on Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City. The review report concluded that there were 'indications' that Israel was in breach of its human rights obligations under Article 2 of the Association Agreement with its actions in Gaza. The Association Agreement At a meeting of the E.U. foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday, E.U. foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced that she would address the report results with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar. The E.U. foreign ministers will discuss the topic again in July to see if they decide to take measures against Israel. 'Our first goal is to change the situation on the ground [in Gaza] and help the humanitarian aid get in and help the people. So today was the beginning of the debate and not the end,' Kallas told reporters after the ministerial meeting. 6 Internally displaced Palestinians gather in a charity kitchen to receive limited rations amid a food shortage in Nuseirat Palestinian refugee camp. 'If the situation does not improve, then we can also discuss further measures and come back to this at the next Foreign Affairs Council in July,' she said. The review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement was decided in May after a majority of E.U. member states supported a proposal of Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp. In a letter to Kallas, Sa'ar requested to shelve the report prepared by the E.U. on Article 2 of the Association Agreement, writing: 'In the name of fairness, the flaws in the composition of the report should be addressed and it should be completely disregarded.' The report, he continued, 'completely ignores our detailed answers to the questions submitted to us.' 6 People walk away as smoke erupts from a fire following an Israeli strike at the UNRWA's Osama bin Zaid school in the northern Gaza Strip. AFP via Getty Images During the Article 2 review process, the E.U. submitted a series of question to Israel. In its answers to the questions, the Israeli foreign ministry recalled the 'strategic reality Israel is facing: since October 7, Israel has been fighting a war on seven fronts. Iran, with its extremist ideology, is aiming to eliminate the State of Israel. Iran's regime has long pursued the annihilation of the Jewish state through a nuclear program, ballistic missiles, and a network of terrorist proxies like Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. 'This plan erupted violently on October 7, when Hamas massacred 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped hundreds, marking the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust,' the ministry added. 'It is against this backdrop—Israel's combat with a host of brutal enemies—that the E.U. was tasked with doing a 'rush job,' compiling a biased and extremely one-sided summary of many anti-Israeli voices and documents into a so-called 'honest report' for the member states of the E.U.''
CNBC
a day ago
- Business
- CNBC
Europe will buy more American weapons and pave way for trade deal, EU Council chief says
NATO's agreement to more than double allies' defense spending targets will rebalance Europe's trade relations with the U.S. and see the region buy more American weaponry, European Union Council President Antonio Costa told CNBC on Friday. Earlier this week, NATO allies agreed to more than double their defense spending target from 2% of gross domestic product to 5% by 2035. The move has solved the main trade-related issue between Europe and the United States, Costa told CNBC's Silvia Amaro. "What we have decided to do is strengthen our position and to assume greater responsibilities in our own defense. Then I think we solved already the main issue, and then I think the path is paved to solve the other issues," he said. At least some part of this higher defense expenditure will be used to "buy American," according to Costa. "And of course, if we buy more American, that means then the trade relations rebalance. Then that's the reason — because I have said always that we cannot separate these two negotiations about defense — [that this] was the most important issue for the United States, and [it] is already solved." Costa, who served as prime minister of Portugal up until last year, reiterated Trump's previous statements that the military agreement is a "big win," adding that it effectively rebalances the burden sharing on defense. The EU is among the trade partners rushing to strike an agreement with Washington ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's early July deadline for hiking so-called reciprocal tariffs on imports from nearly all countries. Steps toward a deal were made this week after the U.S. presented the European Commission with a new proposal. Markets were also buoyed by the Thursday announcement from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt that the July 8 and 9 deadlines for restarting tariffs on nations are "not critical." "Perhaps it could be extended, but that's a decision for the president to make," Leavitt said. When asked whether the EU could reach a deal ahead of the July deadlines, Costa said the European Commission is currently assessing the White House's trade proposal. "Both parties are very engaged to find a solution, and I hope that we will and that we achieve this before the ninth of July," he said.
Business Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Times
Storm clouds gather as European leaders meet
EUROPEAN Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had planned for her second term of office, which began last December, to focus squarely on the competitiveness agenda to boost the EU economy. However, geopolitical challenges are fast crowding out her freedom of action. This stark fact will be shown, yet again, this week (Jun 26-27) at the latest European Council meeting of 27 presidents and prime ministers from across the bloc. Economic competitiveness is last but one (item six of seven) on the agenda following adoption of the agenda; Ukraine; Middle East; European defence and security; and the EU in the world. As European Council President Antonio Costa has highlighted, the goal of building a more competitive Europe has not become less important for von der Leyen. This economic agenda remains key to her political legacy and she would still like to deliver on much more of the agenda highlighted in last September's major competitiveness report released by former Italian prime minister and ex-European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi. In his welcome letter to Europe's presidents and prime ministers ahead of this week's summit, Costa highlighted that 'the interplay between a challenging international context and our internal economic priorities, such as deepening the Single Market, is more important than ever. That is why I want us to discuss the geoeconomic challenges we are facing' at the meeting on Thursday and Friday. Of course, it is not the case that the EU expected 2025 to be trouble-free. Especially following the election of US President Donald Trump for a second term last November, there was open acknowledgement in Europe of potential diplomatic fireworks to come. Nevertheless, the scale of problems arising has taken many by surprise. The latest case in point is the challenges in the Middle East, following the US bombing of Iran last weekend. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Lack of political influence The EU is frustrated by the lack of political influence it has over events in Iran, as also in Gaza too, with Israel and the United States acting largely unilaterally. This is a significant shift from the era of a generation ago when Europe had much broader influence in shaping events, including through Israeli-Palestinian peace processes such as the Oslo accords. Today, however, the EU's preferred goal of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution is now very much in the political long grass. Yet, while Europe has comparatively little political influence in the Middle East today, the economic impact of the elevated tensions there could significantly slow the EU's economy in coming months. This is particularly the case in respect to oil prices which, despite the Iran-Israel ceasefire announced by Trump on Monday, have risen since Israel's latest wave of bombing began in Iran. Beyond the Middle East, the EU summit this week will also focus on the region's defence buildup which is fuelling the market capitalisation of the region's security-focused firms. The meeting will discuss building Europe's common defence readiness by 2030 with huge new security-related investments. Ukraine is also on the agenda with European leaders increasingly concerned that the war with Russia will last for at least months more to come, potentially into 2026. Given the still-uncertain stance of Trump towards Kyiv, the EU is keen to help ensure that Ukraine is in a financial and military position to be able to continue to fight a protracted conflict as the nation continues on its path towards EU membership. Amid this gathering storm of geopolitical factors, the EU is increasingly concerned that von der Leyen's second term could get blown off-course. Von der Leyen's long-held belief is that it is critical for the more than 400 million population bloc to be ambitious, and further seize the initiative in coming years. The alternative, in her view, is more drift that has characterised EU affairs for so long, a danger that may be growing. For while opportunities still exist on the horizon, there are growing risks too from not only international but also domestic challenges. On the domestic front, there remains a significant rise of anti-EU, nationalist sentiment across the continent which has seen populist arguments coming to the fore as well as the perceived erosion of the fundamental values of liberal democracy. Only earlier this month, the presidential election in Poland was won by a populist nationalist, Karol Nawrocki, who is intent on frustrating the reformist policy agenda of Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Yet, it is the international front that is the most prominent challenge for the EU, right now. Not only is there an increasingly assertive Russia, there is also massive uncertainty from the United States from Trump, not least with the 90-day pause period of his tariffs scheduled to expire in July with only one nation (the United Kingdom) having reached a tariff deal with the White House. Skilful leadership Amid all the gloom, the one potential upside of this crisis-driven environment is that, with very skilful leadership by top EU officials including von der Leyen, she finds a way to continue to deliver her reform agenda. There is significant historical precedent for this. A good example is the Commissions of former president Jacques Delors whom von der Leyen is sometimes compared to in terms of the significant historical consequence of her presidency. Coming to office during a troubled period for the bloc in 1985, the presidency of Delors is seen by many as giving what is the modern EU a clear sense of direction, including as the founding father of the euro single currency. In his first term, he rallied the bloc to the call of the Single Market, and when appointed to a second term, he urged Europeans towards the ambitious goals of Economic and Monetary Union. It remains to be seen if history will see von der Leyen's presidency as being as historically important as that of Delors, but she nonetheless still has a remaining window of opportunity to deliver a number of big achievements that could enhance the EU's competitiveness. This includes implantation of the new Clean Industrial Deal which aims to enhance the competitiveness of EU industries while addressing climate change by focusing on energy-intensive sectors and clean technologies which are crucial for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fostering sustainable growth. In this challenging context, the second term of the von der Leyen Commission faces gathering storm clouds that may yet grow worse in 2025. So the window of opportunity could be narrowing significantly to help define the EU's longer-term political and economic trajectory and forge a stronger, sustainable path for the continent. The writer is an associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics
Yomiuri Shimbun
4 days ago
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
EU and Canada to Deepen Ties with New Security Pact
BRUSSELS, June 23 (Reuters) – The European Union hosts Canada for a summit on Monday designed to deepen their already close ties as both face increased geopolitical threats, including a more hostile U.S. president, Russia and Middle East instability. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, who chairs EU summits, will greet Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney for a two-hour meeting in Brussels, a day before a NATO summit in the Hague. EU officials said the EU-Canada summit was not a 'business as usual' meeting and marked a new era in bilateral ties. The two allies, who already have a free trade agreement, are due to agree to a security and defense partnership, the first the bloc has struck with a country from the Americas. The partnership will involve joint work on crisis management, cyber, maritime and space security, arms control, as well as support for Ukraine, which Russia invaded more than three years ago. It will also pave the way for Canadian companies to access the 150 billion euro ($172 billion) EU joint procurement program SAFE. The two partners are also expected to launch negotiations on a digital agreement designed to shape global rules for data, such as on e-signatures and consumer protection or limits on spam. A draft of the joint statement refers to alignment of standards in digital regulation to make online platforms safer and more inclusive and AI systems more trustworthy, areas of regulation on which the United States has criticized the EU.
