All posts tagged: Camille Gijs

World leaders hold their breath for Trump’s next tariff move  – POLITICO

World leaders hold their breath for Trump’s next tariff move  – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The European Union rushed to appeal for trade stability in the wake of the ruling, calling for “predictability in the trading relationship.”  Brussels said it was in touch with the Trump administration as it seeks “clarity on the steps they intend to take in response to this ruling,” European Commission deputy chief spokesperson Olof Gill said in a statement. The U.K. — which, together with Australia, was hit by the lowest reciprocal tariff rate — downplayed the impact, saying it expected its “privileged trading position with the U.S. to continue,” despite the ruling.  “This is a matter for the U.S. to determine but we will continue to support U.K. businesses as further details are announced,” a U.K. government spokesperson said, adding that it was working with the Trump administration to “understand how the ruling will affect tariffs for the U.K. and the rest of the world.” Initial reactions from other capitals reflected a common desire to avoid any fresh escalation after Trump’s first-year tariff offensive upended the postwar trade order and shook the trust of …

Mercosur trade deal splits EU Parliament in half – POLITICO

Mercosur trade deal splits EU Parliament in half – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The process would kick the can down the road by up to two years. This vote is effectively a dry run of where the majority would stand on final approval. Many of the lawmakers who support the deal are expected to reject sending it to court. However, that is not the case for some: The 12 German Green lawmakers, for example, are in favor of the deal but also support sending it to court to assess its legality — making Wednesday’s vote even tighter.  In the Council of the EU, the bloc’s intergovernmental branch, the agreement won a qualified majority despite the opposition of France, Poland, Austria, Ireland and Hungary. Belgium abstained; Italy only backed the deal after securing safeguards and funding commitments for its farmers. A Parliament vote against the deal would deal a massive blow to Brussels and the pro-deal camp led by Germany. “We must not let this opportunity go to waste,” Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said last week, calling on the European Parliament to back the deal. “We need not talk …

EU-US trade deal ‘on hold’ after new Trump tariffs – POLITICO

EU-US trade deal ‘on hold’ after new Trump tariffs – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The EU’s so-called trade “bazooka,” or Anti-Coercion Instrument, offers a range of punitive measures that can be used against trade rivals that try to threaten the bloc. Among them are restrictions on investments and access to public procurement schemes, as well as limits on intellectual property protections. Despite the calls from the European Parliament, it would be a decision for the European Commission to trigger the Anti-Coercion Instrument should Trump make good on his latest threat. This would then require the backing of a qualified majority of countries — which could prove difficult given the long-standing divisions among EU capitals over how far to go without further antagonizing Washington. Renew leader Valérie Hayer called Trump’s moves “unacceptable” and said “it is now time to move from reliance to deterrence.” “The EU should be prepared to deploy targeted and proportionate countermeasures,” Hayer said in a post on X. “The activation of the EU Anti-Coercion Instrument should be explicitly considered, as it was designed precisely for situations of economic intimidation of this nature.” Bernd Lange, a German S&D …