Comuniq.EU

Top US, EU trade chiefs ‘in constant contact’ after Trump tariff reprieve

EU and US race to salvage trade talks after Trump tariff threat EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič held calls Monday with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson…

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UK and EU ready for drawn-out battle on defence deal

The European Union is open to deepening defence ties with the U.K., but is approaching negotiations with caution and stringent conditions, reports suggest. A recent meeting in London between European…

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UK and EU sign new trade, fishing and defence deal – what do economists think?

By Maria Garcia, Senior Lecturer in International Relations, University of Bath Conor O'Kane, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Bournemouth University Kamran Mahroof, Associate Professor, Supply Chain Analytics, University of Bradford Mausam…

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Global dark web crackdown targeting online drug and criminal networks

A global law enforcement operation coordinated by Europol has struck a major blow to the criminal underground, with 270 arrests of dark web vendors and buyers across ten countries. Known…

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Belgium Planted Surveillance Devices in Anderlecht Stadium to Monitor Huawei’s Lobbying Efforts Targeting MEPs

Belgian security agents bugged a corporate box at the RSC Anderlecht football stadium that was being used by Chinese tech giant Huawei to schmooze members of the European Parliament. They…

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European leaders to ask EU for easier expulsion of foreign criminals

Nine European countries, led by Italy and Denmark, will on Thursday call on the European Union to make it simpler for member states to expel foreign criminals, according to a…

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Commission exempts 38,000 companies from 8 EU laws

The European Commission is creating a new category of “small mid-cap” companies that will be exempted from eight EU laws, it announced. Companies with up to 750 employees, and either…

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Europol and Microsoft disrupt world’s largest infostealer Lumma

Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre has worked with Microsoft to disrupt Lumma Stealer (“Lumma”), the world’s most significant infostealer threat. This joint operation targeted the sophisticated ecosystem that allowed criminals to…

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Consumer groups urge EU to press airlines over baggage fees

Sixteen European consumer groups on Wednesday called on the European Union to take action against seven low-cost airlines. The demand is related to the additional charges consumers face for baggage…

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EU Lifts Sanctions on Syria, Imposes New Restrictions on Russia’s Shadow Fleet

The European Union announced the removal of broad economic sanctions on Syria, marking a significant shift in the bloc’s Middle East policy, even as it simultaneously escalated punitive measures against…

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EU to charge €2 fee for Temu, Shein packages

The European Commission is willing to tackle a flood of cheap packages by proposing a handling fee for the EU’s 27 national customs agencies, trade chief Maroš Šefčovič said on…

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EU adopts new sanctions against Russia

The European Union on Tuesday adopted new sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine, zeroing in on Moscow's "shadow fleet" of oil tankers, human rights violations and hybrid threats,…

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What’s in the UK-EU reset deal?

Britain agreed the most significant reset of relations with the European Union since Brexit on Monday, with both sides hailing deals on everything from trade and migration to security and…

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EU Broadens Efforts to Shield Children from Social Media Exposure

The European Union would become a world leader in stopping kids from using social media under a new proposal gaining traction in Brussels. The proposal, which is being spearheaded by…

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EU countries agree on big defence fund

EU countries have in principle agreed on the proposals for a 150 billion euro ($168.3 billion) fund aimed at boosting Europe's defence, known as Security Action for Europe (SAFE), an…

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UPDATED: Britain agrees trade and defence reset with EU

Britain agreed the most significant reset of defence and trade ties with the European Union since Brexit on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump's upending of the global order forced…

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EU won’t accept UK-style tariff deal with Trump, ministers say

EU countries warned Thursday that they would reject any trade deal with President Donald Trump that mirrors the U.S. agreement with the U.K., firmly opposing a baseline 10 percent tariff…

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EU invests €7.3B from Horizon Europe to boost competitiveness and talent development

The European Commission is investing over €7.3 billion in the 2025 Horizon Europe work programme to boost research, innovation, and global competitiveness. This funding supports the EU’s green and digital…

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EU’s Kallas says Russia not truly interested in peace in Ukraine

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Tuesday she does not think Russia is truly interested in establishing peace in Ukraine. "I don't think they (Russia) are interested…

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EU sees Syria instability as terror risk for bloc, document says

The situation in Syria could pose security risks for Europe, according to a draft internal European Union counterterrorism document seen by Reuters which warned that the terror threat level in…

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EU approves 5 billion euro French scheme for wine exports to US

The European Commission has approved a 5 billion euro ($5.6 billion) French scheme to facilitate the export of wines and spirits to the United States, it said. The Commission said…

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Trump says he wants to meet ‘so fantastic’ von der Leyen

Donald Trump shook the world on Thursday when he poured heaps of praise on Ursula von der Leyen. “She’s so fantastic,” the U.S. president said twice of the head of…

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Global temperatures stuck at near-record highs in April: EU monitor

Global temperatures were stuck at near-record highs in April, the EU’s climate monitor said on Thursday, extending an unprecedented heat streak and raising questions about how quickly the world might…

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New EU Regulation Aims to Standardize Migrant Returns and Fortify Borders

The European Commission has proposed a new regulation aimed at tightening the bloc’s return procedures for migrants who reside illegally in the EU, seeking to harmonize enforcement across member-states and…

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Greenland belongs to Greenlanders, EU’s top diplomat warns

The EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas defended Greenlanders’ right to self-determination in her inaugural speech to the European Parliament on Tuesday. Her address comes in the wake of U.S. President…

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EU scientists sound alarm over escalating spring drought

The spring drought plaguing Europe since March is worsening and spreading to more countries, the European Commission's scientific service warned. A lack of rainfall and warmer than usual weather have…

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France wants EU parcels levy to stem flood of cheap Chinese fast fashion imports

France wants Brussels to slap additional fees on small parcels imported by Chinese e-commerce and fast fashion firms in a bid to protect the European market from a flood of…

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Eurozone economy grows faster than expected in rush to get ahead of Trump tariffs

The eurozone economy beat expectations in early 2025, partly due to exporters rushing orders ahead of U.S. tariffs. Eurostat reported first-quarter GDP growth of 0.4%, double analysts’ forecasts. This outpaced…

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EPP President rejects any collaboration with far-right

European People's Party (EPP) President Manfred Weber issued a strong warning about the rise of authoritarianism in Europe. With the EPP Congress taking place in Valencia, where key state and…

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Brussels Unveils Sweeping Plan to Cut Green Bureaucracy for Businesses

In a major move aimed at easing pressure on European businesses, the European Commission has announced plans to streamline key sustainability regulations under the EU Green Deal, pledging to cut…

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EU leaders weigh changes to global tax deal to placate trump administration

EU governments are considering amending their implementation of a global tax deal to exclude the U.S., aiming to appease Donald Trump’s administration after his withdrawal from the agreement upon taking…

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Malta’s citizenship investment scheme violates EU law

The controversial system allowing foreigners to effectively buy EU citizenship raised security concerns. Malta’s controversial golden passport scheme, allowing foreigners to purchase EU citizenship in exchange for investing upwards of…

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UK proposes statement of shared values with EU

Britain has proposed a broad statement of shared values with the European Union that emphasises support for Ukraine's territorial integrity, the Paris Climate Agreement and open and free trade, according…

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EU’s Dombrovskis says EU prefers negotiated solution on trade with US

The European Union would prefer to reach a negotiated solution with the United States over trade but will respond with countermeasures if discussions do not lead to a solution, European…

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Apple, Meta fined hundreds of millions of euros for violating EU’s digital rulebook

In other European news elsewhere, the European Commission has just issued massive fines against US tech giants Apple and Meta for breaching its digital regulation, the Digital Markets Act. The…

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EU to boost defence innovation and investment through funding reforms

The European Commission has proposed targeted amendments to existing EU funding programmes to accelerate investment in Europe’s defence sector. These changes aim to strengthen the EU’s Defence Readiness 2030 strategy…

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ECB survey sees inflation stabilising at 2%

Euro zone inflation may be slightly higher this year than expected but is still seen stabilizing at the ECB’s 2% target, according to the ECB. The 2025 inflation forecast was…

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Hungary ‘rapidly going in wrong direction’, EU lawmakers warn after visit

A delegation of European parliament lawmakers has warned that the situation in Hungary is “rapidly going in the wrong direction” due to the continuing deterioration of the rule of law…

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EU issues list of ‘safe countries’ for migrant returns that includes Egypt, Tunisia

The European Commission on Wednesday included countries such as Egypt and Tunisia, where human rights have come under scrutiny, on a list of "safe countries" to which failed asylum seekers…

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European pharma firms issue demands to stay in EU ahead of expected US tariffs

Nearly three dozen global pharmaceutical companies, in a letter to the head of the European Commission, demanded help to maintain operations in the EU despite threatened US tariffs on imports,…

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‘The West as we knew it no longer exists’: Ursula von der Leyen

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen told the German weekly Die Zeit that “the West as we knew it no longer exist,” as she spoke of “historic” changes taking…

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European Commission to Designate Egypt and Bangladesh as ‘Safe’ Countries’

The European Commission is poised to add Egypt and Bangladesh to its provisional list of safe countries for migrant repatriation, according to a draft document obtained by ANSA. The list,…

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Trump tariffs: EU pauses countermeasures until July

The European Commission said it would hold off on retaliatory tariffs on US goods worth €21 billion until July 14 "to allow time and space for EU-US negotiations." The EU's pause…

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EU pledges €1.6 billion for Palestinians

The European Union has announced a three-year financial support package for the Palestinians worth up to €1.6 billion ($1.8 billion). "We are stepping up our support to the Palestinian people.…

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EU trade chief Sefcovic to go to Washington for talks on Monday

European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic is to travel to Washington on Sunday and will hold talks with U.S. officials on Monday with the aim of reaching a deal on tariffs.…

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MEP Thomas Bajada calls on EC to take ‘decisive action’ on water scarcity

Water scarcity is becoming an increasingly urgent issue across Europe, with MEP Thomas Bajada warning that the EU needs to up its game to ensure long-term water resilience. Speaking at…

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Illegal crossings into Europe down one third in a year

Illegal crossings at Europe’s borders have dropped by more than 30 percent, a difference of nearly 34,000 people, in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period…

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EU brainstorms on how to brace for US tariffs as 90-day window opens

With higher U.S. tariffs postponed by 90 days, European Union finance ministers will brainstorm on Friday how to use that time to get a trade deal with Washington and how…

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UPDATED: EU pauses countermeasures against US tariffs, von der Leyen says

The European Union will put on hold for 90 days its first countermeasures against U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement…

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EU imposes tariffs on U.S. products amid trade tensions

The EU can apply retaliatory tariffs on nearly €21 billion of U.S. products like soybeans, motorcycles and orange juice after the bloc’s 27 countries assented to the measures on Wednesday,…

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EU Commission to discuss trade, US tariff strategy with industries

The European Commission has invited the sectors most impacted by US tariffs to an in-person meeting on Thursday, an invitation letter seen by Reuters showed, as the commission weighs new…

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Europe just had warmest March on record

Europe experienced its warmest March since records began, as climate change continues to push temperatures to unprecedented levels, European Union scientists said on Tuesday. Globally, last month was the planet's…

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EU Commission proposes 25% counter-tariffs on some US imports

The European Commission proposed counter-tariffs of 25% on a range of U.S. goods on Monday in response to President Donald Trump's tariffs on steel and aluminium, a document seen by…

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EU seeks unity in first strike back at Trump tariffs

European Union countries will seek to present a united front in the coming days against U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs, likely approving a first set of targeted countermeasures on up…

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EU’s Kallas: EU countries already providing over 50% Ukraine’s ammunition needs

European countries are already providing more than half of Ukraine's ammunition needs, recently put at two million rounds by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas…

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European Parliament condemns US tariffs as ‘unjustified and illegal’

The European Parliament has strongly condemned the latest trade measures imposed by the United States, labeling them as unjustified and damaging to global economic stability. Bernd Lange, Chairman of the…

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EU plans countermeasures to new US tariffs, says EU chief

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described U.S. Donald Trump's universal tariffs as a major blow to the world economy and said the European Union was prepared to respond…

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