# European%20Union
Latest news and articles about European%20Union
Total: 40 articles found
Germany Rules Out Joining Naval Escort Mission in Strait of Hormuz, Leaving Burden to Allies
Germany announced it will not participate in international naval escort operations in the Strait of Hormuz, a decision echoed by Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Defence Minister Boris Pistorius. The move narrows options for an EU or multinational response to rising tensions around Iran and shifts operational burden to other Western navies or civilian measures.
Washington Opens Broad Section 301 Probe of 16 Partners, Raising Stakes for Global Trade
The U.S. has launched Section 301 investigations into 16 trading partners, including China and the EU, reviving a unilateral tool that could lead to tariffs or other penalties. The move signals Washington’s widening concerns about foreign industrial and digital practices and raises new risks for global supply chains and the multilateral trading order.
Iceland Eyes Rapid EU Comeback: Minister Says Accession Talks Could Finish in 18 Months
Iceland's foreign minister has said accession talks with the EU could be completed within 18 months if voters approve restarting negotiations in an August referendum. Public opinion is narrowly in favour, but deep domestic divisions—especially over fisheries—and the need for unanimous EU approval make a rapid accession far from certain.
Sánchez Rebukes US and Israel Over Strikes on Iran, Defends Spanish Warship Deployment to Cyprus
Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez publicly condemned recent US and Israeli military strikes on Iran as an "extremely serious mistake" and defended Spain’s dispatch of a warship to Cyprus as fulfilment of EU defense duties. His comments underscore European concerns about escalation in the Middle East and reflect a cautious effort to balance alliance ties with a push for de‑escalation.
EU Backs Spain as Transatlantic Rift Widens Over Iran and Trade Threats
The EU has publicly urged the United States to respect a June trade agreement after the US threatened to cut trade with Spain for refusing to allow use of its bases for strikes on Iran. The dispute reveals growing tensions in transatlantic relations over the interplay of defence policy and economic leverage, with implications for NATO cohesion and EU unity.
EU Warns Washington: Respect Trade Deal as Madrid Refuses Bases for Strikes on Iran
The EU urged the US to respect a June trade agreement after Spain refused to allow the use of two military bases for strikes on Iran, prompting a US threat to sever trade ties. The episode highlights an emerging transatlantic rift over military action, the institutional primacy of EU trade policy, and the risk that US pressure on a single member could strain alliance cohesion.
Washington Threatens 15% Global Import Duty This Week, Renewing Trade Uncertainty for China and Allies
U.S. officials indicated a temporary global import duty could rise from 10% to 15% imminently, a move designed to replace tariffs the Supreme Court found legally unsupported. The administration says it will seek to reinstate higher, more defensible tariffs within five months using other trade statutes, a plan that has unsettled markets and alarmed trade partners.
Canada Joins EU’s Big Defence Finance Plan, Becoming First Non‑European Partner — and Opening Its Arms Industry to Europe
Canada has become the first non‑European participant in the EU’s large defence financing instrument, gaining access for its defence industry to European procurement supported by up to €150 billion in loans. The move deepens transatlantic industrial ties, signals a pragmatic streak in EU strategic autonomy, and raises questions about procurement, export controls and future partner participation.
European Leaders at Munich Call for True Strategic Autonomy — Not Just Rhetoric
At the Munich Security Conference on February 13, Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other European leaders publicly pressed for stronger "strategic autonomy," citing vulnerabilities exposed by war, pandemic and shifting U.S. priorities. Turning the idea into policy will require painful budget choices, industrial coordination and careful management of transatlantic ties.
India–EU Defence Pact: A Framework That Builds Bridges but Bars Core Technology
The India–EU Security and Defence Partnership signed at the New Delhi summit creates a formal framework for cooperation across five defence domains but stops short of transferring core technologies. The pact is likely to yield limited, mid‑level collaboration—maritime information sharing, cyber cooperation and equipment upgrades—while high‑end co‑development remains constrained by European technology protection and internal divisions.
A Chaotic ‘Breakfast Club’ at the EU Summit Exposes Faultlines Over Inclusion and Migration
A hastily arranged pre-summit breakfast hosted by Italy with Germany and Belgium delayed the start of an EU summit and provoked complaints from several member states who said they were not invited. The meeting—intended to coordinate tougher migration policy—produced little substance but highlighted risks to EU cohesion from informal, selective gatherings.
China Imposes Five-Year Countervailing Duties on EU Dairy, Escalating Trade Pressure on European Exporters
China will levy countervailing duties on certain dairy imports from the EU for five years starting 13 February 2026, following an investigation that found EU subsidies harmed China’s dairy industry. The decision imposes company-specific duties, includes limited retroactivity for provisional bonds, and opens administrative and judicial review pathways.