Latest news with #EUROPEANUNION
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Factbox-Trump letters and who's talking: State of play as tariff deadline nears
By Andrea Shalal WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday his administration is close to finalizing several trade agreements in the coming days and will notify other countries of higher tariff rates by July 9, with the higher rates scheduled to take effect on August 1. Despite promises to work on 90 deals in 90 days, Trump and his team have been able to complete only a limited deal with Britain and a not well-defined agreement with Vietnam. A long-promised deal with India has remained elusive. Here's the state of play for several U.S. trading partners facing deadlines this week: EUROPEAN UNION U.S. officials said they were making good progress with the 27-member European Union, after its top trade negotiator Maros Sefcovic met with officials in Washington last week. EU diplomats said talks were continuing but they had not achieved a breakthrough as of Friday. One EU diplomat said the bloc's regulations on social media and other technology companies, stricter than those in the U.S., were not up for negotiation, and a 17% tariff proposed by the U.S. side on agriculture and food exports remained a big hurdle. EU officials have said they are open to a U.S. deal that would apply a universal 10% tariff on many of its exports, but want to secure exemptions from sectoral tariffs already in place or planned for pharmaceuticals, alcohol, semiconductors, and commercial aircraft, Bloomberg reported. The EU is also pushing for U.S. quotas and exemptions to effectively ease Washington's 25% tariff on automobiles and auto parts, as well as its 50% tariff on steel and aluminum, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter. JAPAN Japan says it is continuing to seek an agreement with the U.S. while defending its national interest. Japan's tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa held "in-depth exchanges" over the phone with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Thursday and Saturday, the Japanese government said. The discussions came after Trump this week hammered Japan over what he said was Tokyo's reluctance to import U.S.-grown rice, and accusing Japan of engaging in "unfair" autos trade. He has also called on Japan to import more U.S. oil. On Monday, Trump said Japan could be among those receiving a tariff letter, and suggested it could face duties of up to 35%. INDIA Trump has long promised a trade deal with India, but talks have stalled on disagreements over U.S. tariffs on auto components, steel and agricultural goods. India, which is facing 26% tariffs on its exports to the U.S., has signaled it is ready to slash its high tariff rates for the U.S. but has not conceded on Washington's demands for opening up the agriculture and dairy sectors. On Friday, New Delhi also proposed retaliatory duties against the U.S. at the World Trade Organization, saying Washington's separate 25% tariff on automobiles and some auto parts would affect $2.89 billion of India's exports. INDONESIA Indonesia has offered to cut duties on key imports from the United States to "near zero" and to buy $500 million worth of U.S. wheat as part of its tariff talks to avert a 32% tariff rate. State-owned carrier Garuda Indonesia also plans to buy more Boeing planes as part of a $34 billion pact with U.S. partners due to be signed this week. Accused by some other countries of excessive red tape, Indonesia eased import licensing requirements for some goods and waived import restrictions on plastics, chemical products and other industrial raw materials on June 30, a goodwill gesture ahead of the July 9 deadline. Indonesia has also invited the U.S. to jointly invest in a state-owned Indonesian minerals project as part of its tariff negotiations. SOUTH KOREA Despite frequent rounds of talks and some preliminary agreements, South Korea had said it would seek an extension on Trump's July 9 deadline, although talks will continue this week. Wi Sung-lac, President Lee Jae Myung's national security adviser, plans to visit Washington during July 6-8 to discuss a range of bilateral issues. The country's trade minister, Yeo Han-koo was also due to meet with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and other U.S. officials. South Korea already imposes virtually no tariffs on U.S. imported goods under a free-trade agreement, and so the U.S. has focused on other issues, including foreign exchange rates and defense costs. Trump often complains about the cost-sharing arrangement for the 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea. THAILAND Thailand is making a last-ditch effort to avert a 36% tariff by offering greater market access for U.S. farm and industrial goods, along with increased purchases of U.S. energy and Boeing jets, Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira told Bloomberg News on Sunday. Thailand's proposals have included reducing its own tariffs, purchasing more American goods and increasing investments. Thailand's initial proposal included measures to enhance market access for U.S. exports and tackle transshipment violations, as well as Thai investment that would create U.S. jobs. Bangkok said also pledged to import more U.S. natural gas and cut tariffs on imports of corn from the United States. SWITZERLAND Switzerland is exploring what concessions it can make to avert a 31% tariff rate on goods it ships to the U.S., including granting the U.S. greater market access for produce like seafood and citrus fruits. But as home to pharmaceutical giants Roche and Novartis, both big U.S. investors, Switzerland also wants assurances that it can avert pharmaceutical tariffs that Trump has threatened to impose at a later date.
The Journal
17-06-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
European 'empty rhetoric' is not enough to stop Israel's 'ethnic cleansing' of Gaza, MSF says
THE EUROPEAN UNION has the political, economic, and diplomatic means to stop Israel's 'calculated evisceration of the very systems that sustain life' in Gaza, and 'empty rhetoric' is not enough. That's what European government leaders have been told in an open letter written by the heads of the medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), eleven of whose staff members have been killed during the 20 months of war on the besieged Palestinian territory. Dr Christos Christou, MSF International's president and Christopher Lockyear, the NGO's secretary general, described Israel's campaign against the Palestinian people in Gaza as 'ethnic cleansing, wrapped in the rhetoric of security defence'. 'On a daily basis, MSF teams witness patterns consistent with genocide through deliberate actions by Israeli forces – including mass killings, the destruction of vital civilian infrastructure, and blockades choking off access to food, water, medicines, and other essential humanitarian supplies,' they wrote. Israel is systematically destroying the conditions necessary for Palestinian life. This pattern of violence and disregard for international humanitarian law, the said, 'shows that this war run by Israel in Gaza is against Palestinians as a whole'. Israel stands accused of committing genocide in Gaza in a case taken by South Africa at the International Criminal Court. It has also been accused of genocide by NGOs Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Taoiseach Micheál Martin has also described Israel's actions in Gaza as genocidal. Despite these allegations, European support for Israel has remained steadfast, with some exceptions. Last month, some European states closely allied with Israel openly criticised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war and the ongoing military operations and settlement expansions in the occupied West Bank. That tone has since shifted back to support for Israel in the wake of its attack against Iran last Friday, which has also drawn attention away from the plight of the people of Gaza. Weaponising aid MSF pointed to the spate of massacres that have been committed by Israeli forces while hungry people have been waiting for humanitarian aid handed out by the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation(GHF), an organisation the UN and NGOs refuse to work with. Advertisement 'The GHF launched its activities on 27 May, as part of the US-Israeli plan that instrumentalises aid,' the letter reads. 'Since then, hundreds of Palestinians have been treated in hospitals, and scores have been killed, after being shot at these aid distribution sites while waiting to receive basic necessities for survival. 'Humanitarian aid is being weaponised. It is being used as leverage to forcibly displace people, to meet military objectives, or blocked entirely. Aid is not a bargaining chip. It is a lifeline. 'Denying it is collective punishment – a war crime.' Yesterday, Israeli forces killed 34 people near a GHF distribution site. Today, Israeli forces killed at least 51 people and wounded more than 200 while they waited to get flour from a UN site. The war in Gaza is becoming ever more deadly and devastating. In what's become a macabre daily routine, more desperately hungry people were gunned down today, as they tried to collect food aid from the new US and Israeli backed distribution centre. — Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) June 16, 2025 'Empty rhetoric' 'The European Union and European governments have the political, economic, and diplomatic means capable of exerting real pressure on Israel to stop this assault and open Gaza's border crossings to unhindered humanitarian aid,' the MSF letter said. 'These are not theoretical instruments; they can be effectively mobilised in defence of international law and to protect civilians. The letter noted the recent rebukes of Israel by European leaders. 'Yet these words ring hollow, as they fail to take the substantive action needed to stop the slaughter, and hypocritically continue to provide weapons to Israel that kill, burn, or permanently disable the people who end up in our hospitals. This must stop.' MSF said the words and actions of European leaders are 'a test of your credibility and leadership'. Now is a moment that will define your legacy and determine whether laws meant to protect civilians in war retain any meaning at all. 'It requires political courage, legal responsibility, and moral commitment. The scale of suffering in Gaza demands more than your empty rhetoric. 'Every delay, every equivocation, and every policy that permits the machinery of devastation to roll forward with impunity is an act of complicity.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Sun
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
EU open to extending lobster deal in package on Trump tariffs, FT reports
THE EUROPEAN UNION is open to extending a deal allowing the duty-free import of U.S. lobsters as part of a broader package aimed at removing U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, citing two officials. The EU's current regulation eliminating customs duties for fresh and frozen lobsters from the U.S. expires on July 31. The lobster deal between the U.S. and EU was struck in 2020 during Trump's first term. Bernd Lange, chair of the European parliament's trade committee, told the FT that the lobster trade was not very economically important, but led to de-escalation from Trump. '[The deal] is expiring at the end of July. I'm really in favour of extending it.' The EU faces 25% U.S. import tariffs on its steel, aluminium and cars. It also faces tariffs of 10% for almost all other goods, a levy that could rise to 20% after Trump's 90-day pause expires on July 8. The European Commission has proposed countermeasures on up to 95 billion euros ($107.60 billion) of U.S. imports if tariff negotiations with Washington fail. The Commission has repeatedly said it would prefer a negotiated solution rather than tit-for-tat tariffs.
The Journal
20-05-2025
- Business
- The Journal
EU to lift remaining economic sanctions on Syria to support war-torn country's recovery
THE EUROPEAN UNION has agreed to lift all their remaining economic sanctions on Syria in a bid to help the war-torn country recover after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad. 'Today, we took the decision to lift our economic sanctions on Syria,' the EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas posted on social media after a meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers in Brussels. 'We want to help the Syrian people rebuild a new, inclusive and peaceful Syria,' she said. The move from the EU comes after US President Donald Trump announced last week that Washington was lifting its sanctions against Syria. Syria's new rulers have been clamouring for relief from the crushing international punishment imposed after Assad's crackdown on opponents spiralled into civil war. EU diplomats said the agreement should see the lifting of sanctions cutting Syrian banks off from the global system and freezing central bank assets. But diplomats said the bloc intended to impose new individual sanctions on those responsible for stirring ethnic tensions, following deadly attacks targeting the Alawite minority. Other measures targeting the Assad regime and prohibiting the sale of weapons or equipment that could be used to repress civilians are set to remain in place. Syria's foreign minister Asaad al-Shaibani said after the EU decision that the lifting of the economic sanctions showed an 'international will' to support Damascus. Advertisement Shaibani added that 'the Syrian people today have a very important and historic opportunity to rebuild their country'. The latest move from the EU comes after it took a first step in February of suspending some sanctions on key Syrian economic sectors. Officials said those measures could be reimposed if Syria's new leaders break promises to respect the rights of minorities and move towards democracy. During his visit to Paris earlier this month, Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa said there was no justification for maintaining European sanctions imposed against the Assad government. 'These sanctions were imposed on the previous regime because of the crimes it committed, and this regime is gone,' Sharaa said in a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron. 'With the removal of the regime, these sanctions should be removed as well, and there is no justification for keeping the sanctions,' he added. Trump met Sharaa, a former militant who fought against US forces in Iraq and had a $10m US bounty on his head until December 2024, in Saudi Arabia last week – the first meeting between the leaders of the US and Syria in 25 years. Following the half hour meeting, Trump described Sharaa as 'young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter'. He said he thought Sharaa had a 'real shot at holding [Syria] together' and that the Syrian president had agreed to eventually join the Abraham accords, which would normalise Syrian ties with Israel. The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco signed the US-brokered accords in 2020. © AFP 2025
Straits Times
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
World leaders set to attend Pope Leo's inaugural Mass
Pope Leo XIV conducts Mass in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, May 9, 2025. Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. VATICAN CITY - Following is a list of the main world leaders who are expected to attend Pope Leo's inaugural Mass on Sunday, according to a Vatican statement. ALBANIA - President Bajram Bega ARMENIA - President Vahagn Khachaturyan AUSTRALIA - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese AUSTRIA - Chancellor Christian Stocker BELGIUM - King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, Prime Minister Bart De Wever BRITAIN - Prince Edward BULGARIA - Prime Minister Rossen Jeliazkov CANADA - Prime Minister Mark Carney COLOMBIA - President Gustavo Petro CROATIA - Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic ECUADOR - President Daniel Noboa EUROPEAN UNION - Commission President Ursula von der Leyen FRANCE - Prime Minister Francois Bayrou GABON - President Brice Oligui Nguema GERMANY - Chancellor Friedrich Merz GEORGIA - President Mikheil Kavelashvili HUNGARY - President Tamas Sulyok ITALY - President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni IRELAND - President Michael D. Higgins ISRAEL - President Isaac Herzog LATVIA - Prime Minister Evika Silina LEBANON - President Joseph Aoun LITHUANIA - President Gitanas Nauseda LUXEMBOURG - Prime Minister Luc Frieden MALTA - Prime Minister Robert Abela MONACO - Prince Albert and his wife Princess Charlene MOROCCO - Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch NETHERLANDS - Queen Maxima, Prime Minister Dick Schoof NIGERIA - President Bola Tinubu PARAGUAY - President Santiago Pena PERU - President Dina Boluarte POLAND - President Andrzej Duda PORTUGAL - President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa SERBIA - Prime Minister Djuro Macut SLOVENIA - Prime Minister Robert Golob SLOVAKIA - President Peter Pellegrini SPAIN - King Felipe and Queen Letizia SWITZERLAND - President Karin Keller-Sutter TOGO - President Faure Gnassingbe UKRAINE - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy UNITED STATES - Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
