Latest news with #Euronews
Euronews
34 minutes ago
- Business
- Euronews
WATCH: Will China and EU agree on anything at Beijing summit?
Chinese President Xi Jinping said today's summit offers a chance to "properly handle frictions and differences, and open up a brighter future for China-EU relations." But Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa are carrying a bag full of challenges into the negotiation chamber in Beijing. Friction points range from cyberattacks against state agencies to human rights violations, with Beijing's "no-limits" partnership with Moscow and the trade imbalances caused by industrial overcapacity standing out. Euronews' Europe Today will crunch through tricky topics as presenter Mared Gwyn navigates you through the issues with correspondents, and takes the pulse of EU-China relations in an exclusive interview with former Commission President José Manuel Barroso. Watch Europe Today here on Euronews at 8am.
Euronews
36 minutes ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Exclusive: Commission has change of heart on anti-discrimination law
The European Commission has revived its proposal for an Equal Treatment Directive, aimed at extending anti-discrimination protections beyond the workplace, after giving up on the idea earlier this year. 'This directive would fill a major gap in the EU legislation on non-discrimination by expanding the protection against discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief, disability, age, and sexual orientation beyond the area of employment,' a Commission spokesperson told Euronews. First proposed by the Commission in 2008, the directive has remained stalled in the Council of the EU, despite progress in the European Parliament. In February, the EU executive proposed to withdraw the proposal from its work programme for 2025 as they saw 'no foreseeable agreement'. The decision took civil society and other EU institutions by surprise, prompting swift criticism. At the time, Alice Bah Kuhnke (The Greens/Sweden), rapporteur on the file at the Parliament, called it 'a scandal', urging the EU to step up and push for fresh, ambitious legislation in the face of global backsliding on diversity and equality following decisions of Donald Trump's administration. 'This week's decision severely undermines the EU's commitment to building a Union of Equality at a time when marginalised communities require greater protection than ever,' read an open letter from civil society organisations working on anti-discrimination in Europe. Now, the EU executive has brought the talks back 'having considered the supportive position expressed by the European Parliament and by a large majority of member states in the Council'. For the anti-discrimination proposal to progress to interinstitutional negotiations between the Parliament, the Commission and member states in the Council, who have so far remained at odds over the proposal. As Euronews reported in June, three member states — Czechia, Germany, and Italy — still oppose the draft compromise text. Despite making it a priority, the Polish Presidency failed to secure an agreement during its six-month term. As previously reported, a leaked document dated 6 June and seen by Euronews stated: 'In the absence of any additional drafting suggestions from the Member States with outstanding concerns, the Presidency has not been able to propose a new compromise text.' According to a report by the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS), adopting a "horizontal equality directive" could generate up to €55 million per year, improving health outcomes, educational attainment, and social cohesion for individuals at risk of discrimination. It now falls to the Danish Presidency to reinitiate the discussions. Denmark has confirmed it will seek the required unanimity in the Council and that the directive will be discussed at the social affairs ministerial meeting in December.
Euronews
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Islamists sent here to 'islamise' Europe, says female imam in Germany
German authorities filed criminal charges against dozens of participants following weekend protests in Berlin and Düsseldorf, where demonstrators celebrated violence against Syria's Druze minority and clashed with Kurdish counter-protesters. Hundreds gathered Saturday outside Berlin's city hall, waving Syrian flags and chanting slogans, including "Today we liberate Suwayda. And we will bend the Druze," according to observers. Protesters also directed hostile chants against Christians, Alawites and Israelis while displaying support for Syria's new Islamist leadership under Ahmed al-Sharaa, formerly known by his nom de guerre Mohammed al-Jolani. The demonstrations coincided with ongoing violence in Syria's Druze-majority Suwayda region, where human rights organisations report hundreds were killed in attacks by Bedouin militias and government-aligned forces. Entire villages have been burned and civilians, including women and children, assaulted and summarily executed. Similar protests in Düsseldorf drew approximately 300 participants who displayed large posters honouring al-Sharaa. Videos showed demonstrators dancing while glorifying attacks on Druze communities, with footage later posted to TikTok featuring scissors symbols representing the cutting of Druze men's facial hair. Violence erupted at Düsseldorf's central train station when Syrian protesters clashed with Kurdish demonstrators. Participants threw bottles and stones, injuring five police officers before authorities separated the groups. Police filed roughly 20 criminal charges, including breach of peace, assault and property damage. 'Sent to Europe to cause unrest' Seyran Ateş, founder and imam of the Ibn Rushd Goethe Mosque, issued a stern warning about the "protesters" who openly show their radicalism on the streets. "They were sent to Europe to cause unrest here, to recruit people for their ideology and to work on the big idea of Islamising Europe," Ateş told Euronews. "A liberal society like Germany cannot and will not close itself off to radical views as long as they do not threaten the constitution." "If right-wing extremist Germans are allowed to demonstrate, then Islamists can demonstrate too. Yet more tolerance is often shown towards Islamists so as not to be seen as Islamophobic," she explained. Ateş's liberal mosque had to close temporarily in 2024 due to threats of extremist attacks. She was the target of an attack by a member of the Turkish right-wing extremist group Grey Wolves in 1984. Ateş has been under police protection for almost 18 years - yet she continues to campaign for gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights. "Syrian Islamists who celebrate massacres of minorities and attack Druze and Kurds on our streets have just as little place in Germany as foreign antisemites," anthropologist focusing on Islam Susanne Schröter told Euronews. "Those who belong to the Islamist opposition to al-Assad should be returned to their home country as quickly as possible", she explained. "They no longer pose a threat there (but) when they come here, they pose a threat to internal security," warned Schröter. Mehmet Tanriverdi of the Kurdish Community of Germany (KGD) noted many demonstrators originally fled Syria's al-Assad regime a decade ago but now support the Islamist forces persecuting minorities including Kurds, Alawites and Druze. He called on the German government to "absolutely correct" its current Syria policy. "In addition to the criminals, Germany must also deport all others who are Islamist-minded, promote the dictatorship and are against the constitution." CDU politician Christopher Förster questioned why supporters of Syria's new regime remain in Germany, arguing they should be encouraged to leave voluntarily or face deportation since Syria is now "obviously a safe country" for Islamists. "Nobody should be given a German passport for taking part in such a demonstration," Förster said. "I seriously wonder why these people are still here at all."
Euronews
13 hours ago
- Business
- Euronews
EU prepares heavy artillery for US in tariff war
The European Commission is preparing member states for the possibility of resorting to anti-coercion measures in the tariff dispute between the EU and the US, two diplomatic sources told Euronews. Commission representatives briefed member states on Wednesday about the progress of the negotiations with the US, presenting them with a fact sheet outlining the various steps of the decision-making process required to trigger this trade defence instrument, considered the nuclear option. The measures would enable the EU to restrict access to public procurement, licenses, or intellectual property rights for services from a third country. One of the sources said there seemed to be a broad qualified majority between the member states for deploying the anti-coercion instrument in the event of a no-deal scenario. 'Tonight's dinner between Macron and Merz will be decisive to get a qualified majority," the second source said. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will host French President Emmanuel Macron for talks over dinner in Berlin on Wednesday. According to the same source, the Commission is working on retaliatory measures targeting US digital and financial services if no deal is reached by 1 August. Both EU diplomats confirmed to Euronews that the Commission and the US administration were discussing a 15% baseline tariff on EU imports with some exemptions, but said that negotiations were far from over. Countermeasures The EU and the US have been negotiating for several months to resolve their trade dispute. The US currently imposes 50% tariffs on EU steel and aluminium, 25% on cars, and 10% on all other imports. Discussions appeared to be heading toward a baseline US tariff of 10% on EU imports. Strategic sectors such as automobiles and pharma, however, remained points of contention. But on 12 July, US President Donald Trump ramped up pressure on the EU by threatening to impose 30% tariffs as of 1 August if no agreement was reached. To counter the unilateral imposition of tariffs by the US, the EU is preparing countermeasures targeting two lists of US products. The Commission's spokesperson Olof Gill announced on Wednesday that the two lists would be merged, bringing the total value of retaliatory measures to €93 billion worth of US imports. One list has been suspended until 6 August, whilst a second still requires adoption by member states. 'While our priority is negotiations, we continue in parallel to prepare for all outcomes including potential additional countermeasures,' Gill said, adding: 'To make our countermeasures clearer, simpler, and stronger, we will merge lists one and two into a single list (not entering into effect until 07/08) and submit this to member states for approval.' EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič was due to have a call with his US counterpart Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick on Wednesday afternoon, the Commission announced. 'Intensive technical and political level contact is ongoing,' Gill said. 'We need to change our negotiation method. We need to be able to retaliate and to put on the table any option that would change the balance of the negotiation,' French industry minister Marc Ferracci said in Berlin on Monday. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said back in April that the EU is ready to put pressure on the US by threatening to tariff its services, where it has a trade surplus with the EU, if negotiations in the ongoing trade war break down.
Saudi Gazette
18 hours ago
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
UK and Turkey sign deal for Eurofighter jets as Ankara aims to upgrade air force
ISTANBUL — The UK and Turkey signed a preliminary agreement on Wednesday for the sale of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets to Turkey, marking a significant step in Ankara's efforts to modernise its air fleet. Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler and his British counterpart, John Healey, inked a memorandum of understanding during a defence industry fair in Istanbul, Turkey's Ministry of National Defence said. NATO member Turkey has long aimed to buy 40 Eurofighter jets, which are built by a consortium of British, German and Italian companies. Germany reportedly initially opposed the sale but later reversed its position. Britain led negotiations on behalf of the consortium. A Turkish defence ministry statement said the memorandum takes the two countries "one step closer to a full agreement on the Typhoon." "Both Ministers welcome signature as a positive step towards bringing Turkey into the Typhoon club and share a mutual ambition to conclude the necessary arrangements as soon as possible," it added. Turkish officials have said that they are still negotiating over pricing and technical terms, saying that they have received an initial offer and expect to submit a counter-proposal. Turkey is also seeking to return to the US-led F-35 fighter jet programme, from which the country was ousted in 2019 following its purchase of Russian-made S-400 missile defence systems. The US said the systems were incompatible with NATO tech and posed a risk to the F-35s. Turkey is also developing a domestic fifth-generation fighter jet, the KAAN, which is slated to be operational in 2028. — Euronews
