# European Union
Latest news and articles about European Union
Total: 21 articles found
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.
Paris Proposes 30% China Tariff — Beijing Threatens Targeted Retaliation
A French body has proposed that the EU impose an about 30% tariff specifically on Chinese goods, prompting Beijing to outline at least three retaliatory options including anti-dumping probes into EU (notably French) wine, anti-discrimination investigations, and reciprocal tariffs. The proposal is likely illegal under WTO rules and risks targeted Chinese countermeasures that would hit French exporters and strain EU unity on China policy.
The Troubled Partnership Frays: US–Europe Rift Exposes a New Postwar Reality
Blunt American criticisms at high‑profile international meetings have exposed deepening fractures in US–European relations, driven by economic shifts, divergent values and contested security expectations. The rupture raises questions about NATO’s cohesion, the future of the liberal international order and Europe’s push for strategic autonomy, with broad consequences for global stability and alignment.
EU Flags TikTok for 'Addictive' Design — Beijing‑linked App Pushes Back as Regulators Close In
The EU has characterised TikTok’s product features as exhibiting ‘addictive’ design, prompting a swift rebuttal from the app and signaling escalated regulatory pressure in Brussels. The move could force design, algorithmic and safety changes with broad implications for TikTok’s revenues and for global tech regulation.
Slovak MEP Blaha: US Unilateralism Exposes Need for Greater EU Strategic Autonomy
Slovak MEP Luboš Blaha accused the United States of imperialist behavior over recent comments on Greenland and a reported military move in Venezuela, declaring NATO moribund and calling for greater EU autonomy. His remarks reflect and may intensify an ongoing European debate over strategic independence, economic resilience and how to respond to perceived U.S. unilateralism.
Starmer Eyes Closer EU Defence Ties as Britain Reconsiders SAFE Fund
Britain is considering joining a second round of the EU’s SAFE defence financing programme, reopening a debate over post‑Brexit security cooperation. The move would deepen practical ties with European partners but will hinge on agreement over costs, legal terms and governance.
Iran Says It Will Treat European Militaries as 'Terrorists' After EU Lists the IRGC — A Dangerous Escalation
Iran’s parliament speaker announced that Tehran will treat European militaries as terrorist organisations after the EU designated the IRGC as a terrorist group. The declaration is largely rhetorical but raises serious legal and operational risks, complicating European deployments and increasing the chance of miscalculation in an already tense region.
Tehran Warns of Fallout After EU Labels Revolutionary Guard a ‘Terrorist’ Organization
The EU moved on 29 January to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation, prompting strong condemnations from Tehran that called the decision illegal and dangerous. The move deepens transatlantic alignment on Iran but risks legal, diplomatic and security fallout that could complicate nuclear diplomacy and increase regional tensions.