
EU will not yield decision-making right in US tariff talks, says von der Leyen
BRUSSELS: The European Union will not give up its right to make policy decisions in negotiations with the United States to avert higher US tariffs on EU goods, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday.
'Of course, we discuss tariff lines, we discuss non-tariff barriers, like standards and norms. For example, we discuss strategic purchases, we discuss all these topics,' von der Leyen told a news conference after an EU-Canada summit.
'But where it is the sovereign decision-making process in the European Union and its member states that is affected, this is too far,' she continued, adding this was an 'untouchable.'
Her comments come amid speculation that Washington may be pressing Brussels into delaying the implementation of laws such as those on deforestation and online platforms or providing exemptions to US companies.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Arab News
4 hours ago
- Arab News
EU will not yield decision-making right in US tariff talks, says von der Leyen
BRUSSELS: The European Union will not give up its right to make policy decisions in negotiations with the United States to avert higher US tariffs on EU goods, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday. 'Of course, we discuss tariff lines, we discuss non-tariff barriers, like standards and norms. For example, we discuss strategic purchases, we discuss all these topics,' von der Leyen told a news conference after an EU-Canada summit. 'But where it is the sovereign decision-making process in the European Union and its member states that is affected, this is too far,' she continued, adding this was an 'untouchable.' Her comments come amid speculation that Washington may be pressing Brussels into delaying the implementation of laws such as those on deforestation and online platforms or providing exemptions to US companies.


Arab News
5 hours ago
- Arab News
EU finds ‘indications' Israel is breaching key agreement with its actions in Gaza
BRUSSELS: The EU says there are indications that Israel's actions in Gaza are violating human rights obligations in the agreement governing its ties with the EU, according to its findings seen by The Associated Press. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas presented the review to foreign ministers of the 27-member bloc in Brussels on Monday, leading at least one country to propose suspending the agreement openly. 'There are indications that Israel would be in breach of its human rights obligations under Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement,' according to the review by the EU's diplomatic corps, the European External Action Service. Suspending ties would require a unanimous decision, which is likely impossible to obtain from countries like Austria, Germany and Hungary that tend to back Israel. Other actions — such as ending visa-free travel to Europe for Israelis, sanctioning Israeli settlers in the West Bank or halting academic partnerships — could be pushed if a 'qualified majority' — 15 of the 27 nations representing at least 65 percent of the population of the EU — agree. Countries like the Netherlands, Ireland, and Spain have been vocal in their support for the Palestinians in Gaza as Israel battles Hamas. 'When all the focus is on Iran and the escalation regarding Iran, we should not forget about Gaza,' said Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp, who led the charge for the review. Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. About 56,000 Palestinians have since been killed, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, and relatively little aid has entered since Israel ended the latest ceasefire in March. Outrage over Israel's actions in Gaza has grown in Europe as images of suffering Palestinians have driven protests in London, Berlin, Brussels, Madrid, and Amsterdam. Spain has canceled arms deals with Israel and called for an arms embargo. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares Bueno on Monday called for suspending the EU-Israel agreement. 'The time for words and declarations is behind. We had enough time,' he told the meeting. 'And at the same time, Palestinians in Gaza have no more time to lose. Every day, babies, women, and men are being killed. This is the time for action.' Manuel Albares also called for an embargo on EU countries selling weapons to Israel and for the widening of individual sanctions on anyone undermining the proposed two-state solution. 'Europe must show courage,' he told journalists.


Arab News
5 hours ago
- Arab News
PIA cancels flights to Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and UAE after Iran attacks on US bases
KARACHI: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has canceled its flights to Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), it said on Monday, shortly after Iran struck United States (US) bases in Qatar with missiles. Iran confirmed it had attacked American forces stationed at Qatar's Al-Udeid air base. A caption on the screen called it 'a mighty and successful response by the armed forces of Iran to America's aggression' as martial music played during announcement on Iranian state television. Qatar said it 'successfully intercepted' missiles targeting the US base, and added it reserved the right to respond directly and in accordance with international law following the strikes. The US confirmed its air base in Qatar was targeted by missile attack from Iran and said no casualties were reported. PIA said it had limited its flight operations as a precautionary measure due to the ongoing situation in the Gulf region, adding that its reservation department had started transferring the bookings of passengers to other flights. 'PIA flights will be resumed after the situation returns to normal,' the airline said in a statement. 'All passengers who were traveling on these flights are requested to get timely information about their flights from the PIA call center.' A UAE government spokesperson said they were closely monitoring the regional developments and continuously assessing the situation. Kuwait's civil aviation body issued a statement, saying: 'The country's airspace has been temporarily closed as a precautionary measure, starting today and until further notice. The decision comes within the framework of maintaining the highest levels of safety and security in light of regional developments.' The Al-Udeid air base is home to the US Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC), which provides command and control of air power across the region as well as the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, the largest expeditionary wing in the world. Iran's retaliation came a day after the US launched a surprise attack Sunday morning on three of Iran's nuclear sites, joining Israel in the biggest Western military action against the Islamic Republic since its 1979 revolution. Just before the explosions, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on the social platform X: 'We neither initiated the war nor seeking it. But we will not leave invasion to the great Iran without answer.'