EU seeks to pull Uzbekistan away from China’s orbit
The European Union has taken a step towards pulling Uzbekistan away from China’s growing sphere of influence — using trade, investment and raw materials cooperation…
Trade
Latest reporting and analysis on trade.
EU could end up in an ‘economic cocoon’ says India minister
The European Union has too many regulations and meeting them all was “nearly impossible”, according to India's commerce minister.
Germany to buy Israeli missiles in €2 billion deal despite weapons embargo
Germany is refusing to sell weapons to Israel but has no problem buying Israeli missiles, to judge by a deal revealed on October 21 by Israeli media.
‘We can’t militarily beat Russia, but we can economically ‘, Belgian defence minister says
According to Belgian defence minister Theo Francken, Ukraine and Western counties won't be able to defeat Russia in the field.
Why the West’s war on industry has become its greatest weakness
The post-war order of free trade is dying before our eyes—and perhaps that's the best thing that could happen to the West.
Trump tells the Dutch to go seize that tricky Chinese chip maker, and they do
With the plethora of news happening across the West – and indeed, across the world – you may have missed a seemingly small story out of the Netherlands this…
Nestle says to cut 16,000 jobs worldwide over next two years
Nestle, the Swiss food giant whose brands include Nespresso coffee and Perrier water, will eliminate 16,000 jobs worldwide over the next two years, its new chief…
Belgium calculates US tariffs will cost €4 billion but Belgians may not be the ones paying
A new analysis by Belgium’s economy ministry puts a price tag on US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Belgian exports at more than €4 billion this year.
Machiavelli, Keynes, and using Russia’s frozen assets to arm Ukraine
“Men more quickly forget the death of their father than the loss of their property,” Machiavelli wrote in his classic treatise, The Prince.
Corporate bankruptcies in Germany hit 12-year-high
The number of companies sliding into insolvency in Germany rose by 10.4 per cent in September compared to the year before, according to preliminary data.
Fake ‘freebie’ posts lose Polish farmer 150 tonnes of potatoes
After social media posts claimed a farmer was giving away "free potatoes", locals removed around 150 tonnes of crops in just one day in the southern Polish village…
Greed led Boeing to where it is now, while Airbus somehow stays glorious
Is there a happy harbinger in the news that sales of the largely (but not entirely) French-made Airbus 320 have overtaken those of the Boeing 737?
No markets: EU steel industry with 300,000 workers stands at the brink
Robert Conquest once observed that everyone is conservative about what they know best.
EU risks ‘reigniting US trade tensions’ to save a steel industry ‘on verge of collapse’
The European Union is doubling tariffs on steel imports that exceed its new proposed lower quota.
Brussels sells out Europe’s tobacco farmers and their 80,000 jobs to Beijing
The mask is off.
Stellantis cut 10,000 jobs in Italy, amid broader factory shutdowns
Automaker Stellantis has cut 10,000 jobs in Italy over the last four years, continuing a wave of workforce reductions in industries across the European economy.
‘New EU tariffs on Asian steel will not fix problems at home,’ experts say
The European Union has announced a series of tariffs on steel coming from Asian countries, after the industry has been asking for support for months.
What did the UK get from Brexit? Here are 75 benefits of independence
One of the common cries from unreconciled Remainers in Britain is: “Can you give me just one benefit of Brexit?
Drug tariffs would create ‘worst of all worlds’: Europe pharma group
A European pharmaceutical industry group warned Friday that tariffs on medicines "would create the worst of all worlds", after US President Donald Trump announced…
China speeds up release of new technologies, while becoming more opaque to outsiders
China’s industrial rise appears to be rapidly speeding up–but the more China innovates, the less outsiders are allowed to see it.
France gives €65 million for urban mobility in Cameroon while its own buildings tumble
France's development agency is coming under fire for providing €65 million to finance an urban mobility programme in Cameroon's capital Yaoundé, at a time when…
Europe no longer export champion without cars, says Renault chief
The EU would lose its positive trade balance if stripped of car exports, French automaker Renault's vice-president Jean-André Barbosa warned during a conference…
Chinese rare-earths shortage hits EU industry hard
China’s export squeeze on rare earths is sending shockwaves through European industry.
Ryanair and Wizz Air cut Vienna activities due to ‘punitive aviation tax’
Irish low-cost airline Ryanair has announced it is moving three of its 19 aircraft based at Vienna airport to other countries and will close down three routes from…
Trump that: Equity giant Blackstone main player in record €172 billion US investment in UK
US private equity giant Blackstone said it planned to invest £90 billion (€103.7 billion) in UK projects over the next decade.
America’s policy of ‘containing’ China is on the brink
The scenario that Brussels Signal warned about half a year ago in this very column seems to be coming to pass, with Pentagon leaks suggesting that an epochal shift…
De-throne Von der Leyen: Will Left and Right support each other’s confidence motions?
Two censure bids landed within hours of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s State of the Union speech.
Volkswagen has ‘lost billions’ due to US tariffs
Volkswagen's chief executive Oliver Blume has said that US tariffs were hurting his company, calling the deal between the European Union and US "asymmetric".
EC wants closer ties with ‘natural ally’ Brazil
The European Commission is pushing to deepen relations with Brazil, presenting the country as a “natural partner” while fast-tracking trade and data agreements…
Europe ‘risks being outpaced by India’
Europe risks being left behind by India after being outpaced by China, conference-goers heard on September 3.