Latest news with #EuropeanCommision
Middle East Eye
08-08-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
EU's Costa joins list of figures lambasting Israeli plan to occupy Gaza City
The president of the European Council, Antonio Costa, has condemned the Israeli cabinet's decision to take over Gaza City. "I strongly urge the Israeli government to reconsider," the Portguese lawyer and politician said in a staement posted on X. "Such a decision must have consequences for EU-Israel relations," he added. Costa's statement matched European Commision President Ursula von der Leyen's earlier response to the Israeli decision, which similarly urged Israel to "reconsider". Echoing standard EU policy, Costa added: "the two-state solution remains the only sustainable, long-term solution for peace and security in Israel and the region."
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sporting goods group backs EU single market strategy, unified EPR
The European Commision's strategy is aimed at revitalising the Single Market given the European market boasts a GDP of €18tn ($20.58tn) and stands as the world's second-largest economy (nearly 18% of the global economy). Encompassing 30 states, the European Market serves 450m consumers and includes 26m businesses, providing expansive access to an array of products, services, and investment opportunities. The new Single Market Strategy responds to the European Council's request in April 2024 for the commission to formulate a comprehensive single market strategy by June 2025. The comprehensive plan includes over 50 proposals designed to facilitate business operations within the Single Market by focusing on the elimination of trade barriers, fostering job creation, and driving economic growth. The strategy emphasises on priorities such as the removal of barriers to trade, injecting vitality into Europe's service sector, bolstering the development and expansion of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), simplifying current regulations, mainstreaming digitalisation, and enhancing collective governance and ownership of the Single Market. The sporting goods industry, represented by FESI, has expressed its support for the identification and planned removal of fragmented labelling requirements and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, which are part of the "Terrible Ten" barriers addressed in the new Single Market Strategy. These issues have historically presented substantial hurdles for both large brands and SMEs, leading to administrative burdens, waste generation, and hindrances in adopting sustainable practices across national borders. FESI secretary general Jérôme Pero said: 'The recognition of packaging, labelling and EPR fragmentation as major market barriers is a direct reflection of the concerns our industry has raised for years. Today's strategy is a step in the right direction – we now want to see those words turned into action.' The implementation of these changes is anticipated to provide significant relief for businesses, particularly SMEs that have been grappling with varying compliance requirements across different countries. Despite this positive outlook, FESI expressed concern regarding recent actions by the EC which seem contradictory to the strategy's objectives. This concern stems from the commission's approval of France's Ecoscore system shortly before announcing the new strategy, a move that could potentially lead to further regulatory fragmentation. 'We welcome the strategy's ambitions, but coherence will be key. Approving national measures like Ecoscore while committing to harmonisation raises questions. We urge the commission to ensure its own actions do not undermine the goals it has set today,' Pero stated. FESI has pledged its support during the implementation phase of the proposed strategy and is keen on collaborating with both the commission and member states to achieve swift and enforceable results. In addition, the sporting goods industry in Europe, primarily composed of SMEs, expressed its willingness to contribute actively towards creating a more competitive, sustainable, and fully integrated Single Market. FESI represents approximately 1,800 manufacturers with 70 to 75% of its membership consisting of SMEs. In April this year, the federation welcomed the European Parliament's approval of the revised Ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulation (ESPR), but raised concerns about plans to ban the destruction of unsold goods, particularly in relation to goods that infringe intellectual property rights. "Sporting goods group backs EU single market strategy, unified EPR" was originally created and published by Just Style, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump delays EU tariffs until July 9
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he would pause his threatened 50-percent tariffs on the European Union until July 9, after a "very nice call" with European Commision president Ursula von der Leyen. Trump had threatened on Friday to impose the steep duties from June 1, voicing frustration that negotiations to avert a 20-percent "reciprocal" tariff were "going nowhere". But he agreed on Sunday to delay the tariffs until July 9 after von der Leyen said the European Union needed more time to negotiate. Von der Leyen "just called me... and she asked for an extension on the June 1st date and she said she wants to get down to serious negotiation", Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One in Morristown, New Jersey. "And I agreed to do that," he added. Von der Leyen had earlier said on X that she held a "good call" with Trump but that "to reach a good deal, we would need the time until July 9". "Europe is ready to advance talks swiftly and decisively," said the head of the European Commission, which conducts trade policy for the 27-nation EU. European stock markets -- which had tumbled on Friday after Trump threatened the 50-percent tariff -- rallied on Monday as investors welcomed the delay. The Paris CAC 40 index rose 1.1 percent in morning deals while the Frankfurt DAX was up 1.6 percent. London and Wall Street were closed for holidays. Jochen Stanzl, analyst at trading platform CMC Markets, said the delay was a familiar "Trump Pattern". "The stock market seems to dance to Trump's tune -- first a threat, then a pullback, quickly followed by a rebound as speculative investors anticipate a concession from the US president," Stanzl said. Trump's trade policies have raised concerns that they could spark a recession and fuel inflation, while his stop-start tariff announcements have sent stock markets on a roller-coaster ride. - 'Serious negotiations' - Brussels and Washington have been negotiating in a bid to avert an all-out transatlantic trade war and had agreed to suspend tariff action on both sides until July. But Trump's threat on Friday dramatically raised the stakes. The US leader said on Friday he was "not looking for a deal" with the EU, repeating his oft-stated view that the bloc was created to "take advantage" of the United States. German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil called on Sunday called for "serious negotiations" with Washington, saying he had spoken to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent about the matter. "We don't need any further provocations but serious negotiations," Klingbeil, who is also Germany's vice chancellor, told Bild newspaper. "The US tariffs endanger the US economy just as much as the German and European economy," Klingbeil warned. The EU is subject to a 10-percent tariff that Trump imposed last month on imports from nearly every country around the world, along with 25-percent duties on cars, steel and aluminium. The US president originally imposed a 20-percent levy on the EU but subsequently suspended it, giving space for negotiations. EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic, who held talks with his US counterparts on Friday, said the bloc was "committed to securing a deal" but that trade ties should be based on "mutual respect, not threats". Brussels has announced plans to impose tariffs on US goods worth nearly 100 billion euros ($113 billion) if negotiations fail to produce a deal. The US trade deficit in goods with the European Union was $236 billion in 2024. But when taking account of services, where US firms are dominant, the European Commission calculates that the US trade deficit stood at $57 billion. Earlier this month, Trump reached a trade deal with Britain -- though he maintained the 10-percent "baseline" tariff on the country -- and he temporarily reduced his massive levies on China to give space for negotiations. ec-des-lth/gil
Int'l Business Times
26-05-2025
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
Trump Delays EU Tariffs Until July 9
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he would pause his threatened 50-percent tariffs on the European Union until July 9, after a "very nice call" with European Commision president Ursula von der Leyen. Trump had threatened on Friday to impose the steep duties from June 1, voicing frustration that negotiations to avert a 20-percent "reciprocal" tariff were "going nowhere". But he agreed on Sunday to delay the tariffs until July 9 after von der Leyen said the European Union needed more time to negotiate. Von der Leyen "just called me... and she asked for an extension on the June 1st date and she said she wants to get down to serious negotiation", Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One in Morristown, New Jersey. "And I agreed to do that," he added. Von der Leyen had earlier said on X that she held a "good call" with Trump but that "to reach a good deal, we would need the time until July 9". "Europe is ready to advance talks swiftly and decisively," said the head of the European Commission, which conducts trade policy for the 27-nation EU. European stock markets -- which had tumbled on Friday after Trump threatened the 50-percent tariff -- rallied on Monday as investors welcomed the delay. The Paris CAC 40 index rose 1.1 percent in morning deals while the Frankfurt DAX was up 1.6 percent. London and Wall Street were closed for holidays. Jochen Stanzl, analyst at trading platform CMC Markets, said the delay was a familiar "Trump Pattern". "The stock market seems to dance to Trump's tune -- first a threat, then a pullback, quickly followed by a rebound as speculative investors anticipate a concession from the US president," Stanzl said. Trump's trade policies have raised concerns that they could spark a recession and fuel inflation, while his stop-start tariff announcements have sent stock markets on a roller-coaster ride. Brussels and Washington have been negotiating in a bid to avert an all-out transatlantic trade war and had agreed to suspend tariff action on both sides until July. But Trump's threat on Friday dramatically raised the stakes. The US leader said on Friday he was "not looking for a deal" with the EU, repeating his oft-stated view that the bloc was created to "take advantage" of the United States. German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil called on Sunday called for "serious negotiations" with Washington, saying he had spoken to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent about the matter. "We don't need any further provocations but serious negotiations," Klingbeil, who is also Germany's vice chancellor, told Bild newspaper. "The US tariffs endanger the US economy just as much as the German and European economy," Klingbeil warned. The EU is subject to a 10-percent tariff that Trump imposed last month on imports from nearly every country around the world, along with 25-percent duties on cars, steel and aluminium. The US president originally imposed a 20-percent levy on the EU but subsequently suspended it, giving space for negotiations. EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic, who held talks with his US counterparts on Friday, said the bloc was "committed to securing a deal" but that trade ties should be based on "mutual respect, not threats". Brussels has announced plans to impose tariffs on US goods worth nearly 100 billion euros ($113 billion) if negotiations fail to produce a deal. The US trade deficit in goods with the European Union was $236 billion in 2024. But when taking account of services, where US firms are dominant, the European Commission calculates that the US trade deficit stood at $57 billion. Earlier this month, Trump reached a trade deal with Britain -- though he maintained the 10-percent "baseline" tariff on the country -- and he temporarily reduced his massive levies on China to give space for negotiations. US President Donald Trump spoke to journalists in Morristown, New Jersey AFP
